Daddy's Girl?
by spooksfan08
Summary: Catherine is home, with a shock for Harry and Ruth. Lucas, Ros and Amy are away on holiday with Adam in charge on the Grid. What could possibly go wrong?Picks up the day after Here Comes The Bride? finished. H/R L/R all characters from series 3 onwards.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer : Spooks and everything related to my favourite TV show belongs to Kudos and BBCTV.**

Daddy's Girl

Catherine stood in her apartment looking in the mirror over the dressing table in her bedroom. Sighing heavily she tried to style her blonde hair. She was due to go to Harry and Ruth's for lunch and was not looking forward to it. She brushed her hair over the bruise over her cheek trying to make the bruise look slightly better. A picture of herself with Graham, Ruth and Harry sat on the table staring back at her. It had been taken after Harry and Ruth had been married. She returned her attention to the mirror.

"Dad, look don't worry" She spoke to herself rehearsing what she would say to her father when she saw him. She knew Ruth would immediately be worried and that Harry would be angry. Yet again you have made a mess of your life Catherine, she thought to herself. Dad is going to freak.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruth pottered around the kitchen getting things ready. She was exhausted after the events of the day before but was glad things had turned out well. Lucas, Ros and little Amy had headed off on honeymoon. There was going to be no sign of them for at least the next week. Ruth smiled as she filled the kettle; she hoped that Ros and Lucas had a better time away than she had with Harry. Waiting for the kettle to boil she wondered why her step daughter was insistent on coming to see her and Harry. She also regretted the last whiskey Harry had poured for her before heading home from the Grid. She jumped as the front door slammed and a small terrier bounded towards her.

"Hello girl, your back then?" Ruth stated the obvious as the little dog licked her. Harry appeared in the doorway and smiled.

"How's the head?"

"Urgh, don't ask. Never again Harry. Never again" She narrowed her eyes as Harry laughed.

"Until the next time eh? Think I quite like you slightly drunk. Some of the things you said. I couldn't wait to get you home"

"Oh shut up Pearce" Ruth glared as she filled two mugs with coffee

"Good job Wes was nowhere near you or Adam would be having a difficult conversation this morning" Ruth glowed red as Harry approached her. She groaned as he wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her neck.

"Was I really that bad? It's your entire fault if I was. Plying me with alcohol" She rested her head on his shoulder as he squeezed her tightly to him before kissing along her collar bone.

"No" He kissed her again "Not that bad at all. Quite sexy really" Ruth turned an even deeper shade of red.

"Harry!" He chuckled as she turned in his arms to face him.

"What? Is it a crime to say I find my wife incredibly sexy?" He loved making Ruth blush. Ruth nodded slightly.

"No, but when I'm stood here looking like this" She gestured to the dressing gown she was wearing and the unbrushed mess her hair was. "It makes me wonder about your sanity" He kissed her as she spoke, effectively silencing her. Scarlet had given up on the humans and wandered through the house in search of Fidget and Muggles, intent on causing mischief while the humans seemed oblivious to them.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lucas watched Amy as she played on the mat in the hotel room. Her pink elephant was sat next to her as she crawled around, showing him different toys occasionally. Ros stepped back in to the hotel room as Lucas looked up.

"How's the head?" Lucas was still worried.

"Ok" She smiled as her daughter began to crawl across to her. "Morning shorty" Amy grinned at her Mum's new nickname for her.

"I still can't really believe we got away from the Grid for a whole week. Adam agreeing to cover for you is a miracle." Lucas pulled her to him as she sat on the small sofa.

"Not really he's wanted my job since he got back. As long as he realises it's only temporary" Lucas smiled as she rested her hand on his knee. His were still wrapped around her.

"Ros, we are away for a whole week. Even Adam can't destroy the Grid in seven days. It'll be fine. It will" He kissed the top of her head as she rested her head on his chest.

"Yeah, just the three of us. Why here? I wasn't even expecting to go away" Ros raised her head to stare at him.

"I knew if we stayed in England we'd end up going back to the Grid for something or other. If we went abroad something would go wrong, so here seemed the perfect compromise." He smiled as she rolled her eyes. "And you did tell me once that if you were running away you'd pick the seaside"

"I was thinking more Barbados rather than here."

"You don't like it? Sarah and Malcolm helped me organise it."

"It's perfect Lucas. As long as you, me and Amy are together I don't care where we are. I can see why Sarah likes it here too. Pembrokeshire is a beautiful part of Wales" Lucas smiled slightly as Amy seemed to be lost in her own conversations with the Pink Elephant and Rag Doll she was playing with.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Ruth jumped a mile as she heard the knock at the front door. Having finally extricated herself from Harry's embrace she was dressed and looking a little more presentable as she opened the front door.

"Hi" Catherine looked at the floor as Ruth ushered her inside, leaving the door open for Catherine's new boyfriend to enter. She couldn't help but worry as she saw how upset the younger woman looked.

"Are you ok? Where's Ryan?" Ruth saw the Catherine shrug.

"I should have called. Ryan and I are over" Ruth nodded; noticing for the first time the purple bruise on Catherine's left cheek.

"Where is he?" Her voice was low, barely able to conceal her anger. Ruth knew Ryan had been the cause of the bruise even though Catherine hadn't said anything and she'd never met the young man.

"I don't know. Where's Dad?"

"Gone to the shop. He's gone to get the paper."

"He'll be ages then. He always is when he goes to the newsagent. Ahmed is a sleeper, always has some Intel for him" Catherine shrugged off her denim jacket as Ruth nodded. She didn't know how Catherine knew that but it was true. Ahmed had given them some vital information over the years.

"Tea? You and I need to talk."

"Please Ruth. Dad is going to go spare. I don't know what to do. I nearly didn't come here today. But I haven't seen you both for so long" Catherine took the steaming hot mug from Ruth as Muggles made himself comfortable in her lap. Catherine absentmindedly scratched the cat behind the ears. Ruth knew Catherine was keeping something back. Not only was she an analyst, she knew her step daughter too well not to suspect something.

"I'm glad you came. But what is going on? Apart from the fact Ryan has assaulted you why will Harry go spare?" Ruth sat next to her on the leather sofa holding her own mug.

"Oh God" Catherine began crying as Ruth wrapped her arm around her.

"What is it?"

"Ryan left me because." She took a shuddering breath as her father walked in to the room. Harry was immediately concerned as Ruth shook her head at him slightly.

"Catherine?" Harry dropped the newspapers on the table with a thud as Catherine looked up.

"Dad I'm sorry. I've made a mess of everything again"

"What happened?" Ruth knew Harry was trying to keep his temper. His daughter covered in bruises and crying with no sign of her new boyfriend made him immediately suspicious. He knew what he was seeing he just needed one of the women in his life to confirm it.

"Ryan and I are over." He nodded relieved that she sounded so determined. "I told him about Mum being in prison. He went crazy. He went even more crazy when I told him I'm" She covered her face in her hands as Ruth looked towards Harry.

"It's ok Catherine. Whatever it is it's ok. He doesn't deserve you. He'll never touch you again. I promise you that" Harry kept his voice low as Ruth rested her hand on his arm, silently telling him to be quiet and let Catherine finish.

"No Dad, no more trouble. He's gone and that's that" Harry nodded as Ruth smiled slightly. Her step daughter was braver than she was.

"Why did he go even more crazy?" Ruth gently prompted as Catherine rubbed the tears away from her eyes.

"Because" Catherine knew she had to bite the bullet and tell them both "Because I not only told him I'm the daughter of a traitor but that I'm pregnant too and whatever he says or does I'm having this baby" Ruth caught Harry's eyes aware that the colour had drained from his face.

"Dad?" Catherine looked at him as Ruth prayed he'd say the right thing rather than open his mouth and put his size 9s straight in.

"I'm going to be a grandfather. I think I can live with that" He smiled as his daughter let him pull her in a hug. Ruth was relieved but she couldn't help but think this was not the last they would see of Ryan. She wondered for a moment what Harry would do when he caught up with the younger man and decided it wasn't worth thinking about.

**authors note: This idea just popped in my head last night. Please let me know what you think. I think it will either be dropped or go on to be a multi chapter. Not sure yet.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer Not mine**

**A Day of Rest?**

Harry stood in the kitchen staring out over the garden as Scarlet chased the cats. It was clear that neither Fidget or Muggles were not particularly bothered by the little terrier. They knew she could never catch them. Harry washed his mug until he nearly took the pattern off it. The anger and fear palpable in the way he stood. Ruth had only seen him like it once before. When she said she wanted to go back to Cyprus to confront George's family.

"Harry" She crossed the kitchen to him and took the mug from his hands. "She will be ok. I know it's a shock but at least she's here where we can look after her" Harry nodded.

"He hurt my daughter. That bastard used his fists on my daughter" Harry couldn't look at Ruth. It reminded her of the days when Juliet was around. When she would cause a scene in the office. Many objects had been thrown around the room in those days. Ruth nodded as she took hold of his arm forcing him to turn and look at her.

"I know and it makes me feel sick" Ruth held his gaze "But she doesn't need this righteous anger now Harry. She needs her Dad not to think she's a failure because she's going to be a single mother. Do not make her think this is her fault." Ruth held his gaze. He knew Ruth was speaking from experience. Once again he wished her step brother was still alive so he could make him pay for everything he had done to Ruth, he felt the guilt over the Angela Wells fiasco wash over him as he finally met her eyes.

"I know its not her fault." Harry frowned. He didn't know what she was referring to. "Of course I'm angry. I want to kill the little thug. I want him to be as scared as she is" He whispered as Ruth nodded. Both were aware that Catherine was asleep in the next room having cried herself in to exhaustion.

"Harry" Ruth stepped nearer and touched his face. Her mere presence seemed to calm him down. "She's a strong girl. She doesn't know it but she is. Ryan is scum. I know that, so does she. The best thing we can do now is not let her think we are upset that she is a single mum. That we think she is in the wrong. She needs us now." Ruth watched as Harry closed his eyes at her touch.

"You're right. As always" He wrapped his arms around her waist as she pulled him in to a hug.

"Of course I am Grandpa" Ruth smiled as Harry groaned

"God I'm old" He muttered as Ruth kissed him.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ros woke to find herself on the small sofa in the hotel room. It really was too small to be sleeping on. She tried to stretch and realised at her height it wasn't going to be possible where she was. Glancing across at the coffee table she saw the note Lucas had left for her.

"Back in half hour, rest! Amy's with me, gone to see the seaside" Ros smiled. He'd left the time written in the top corner so she knew he would be back any minute. They had been away a little over a day and she had yet to see anything out side the hotel room. It wasn't the traditional honeymoon with a nine month old in tow but so far so good. Ros decided she had time to shower and change before they got back. Checking her mobile she couldn't resist the urge to ring the Grid. Malcolm answered on the second ring.

"I am not talking to you Ros. You are on leave" Malcolm didn't even give her the chance to say why she was ringing.

"Malcolm, I just wanted to thank you and Sarah for organisisng this. Lucas told me you helped"

"Very well. But get on with your leave. I am not going to tell you about how things are here. If there is no red flash you can assume everything is fine" Malcolm could picture her rolling her eyes.

"Good. Er, really?"

"Adam is not going to keep your job. Not unless you work yourself in to the ground and have to leave us. Now enjoy your holiday. Bye Ros" Malcolm hung up as Ros chuckled to herself. Only Malcolm could get away with speaking to her like that. Even Harry wouldn't dare and they had really screamed at each other over the years. Ros didn't notice Lucas and Amy return.

"Why are you so happy?" Lucas struggled to get the buggy in to the hotel room.

"No reason" She looked down to see Amy asleep with her hat over her eyes. "She nodded off? We'll never get to sleep tonight now" Ros wanted to be annoyed with Lucas but was finding it difficult.

"Don't worry" He crossed the room towards her.

"Um, sleep is overrated" Ros mumbled as Lucas wraped his arms around her waist.

"Yes, who needs it anyway? Found a nice little café that opens late, thought we could go there for lunch. What do you think?" Lucas was making it very difficult for her to concentrate as he rubbed imaginary circles on the small of her back.

"Ok" She smiled in to the kiss.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

"Don't tell me that was Ros on the phone?" Zaf laughed as Malcolm nodded. He was bent over another piece of high tech equipment he had been working on with Tariq. The younger technical officer had wanted to work on it over the weekend while the Grid was quiet. Traditionally Sunday mornings were the quietest. Even terrorists seemed to want the day off. Someone was always on the Grid and this weekend the task had fallen to Malcolm and Zaf.

"It was" Malcolm smiled as the little device flashed in front of him "Ah ha!" Zaf shook his head. Technology really did make the job easier but he couldn't get quite as enthusiastic about it as Tariq and Malcolm. As if thinking about him caused him to appear Tariq returned to the Grid carrying three steaming mugs of tea.

"There you go" He placed one mug on Zaf's desk, as far away from the new baby as possible. Tariq was slightly precious about his new inventions.

"Cheers" Zaf smiled. "What is that?" He pointed to the device that had stopped flashing.

"LED lit, motion sensitive listening device. NOT a bug" Malcolm answered.

"Going to get Adam to road test it tomorrow" Zaf nodded. He knew Adam would have no idea what it was. But would agree to carry it around, knowing that one say lives would depend on it.

Catherine woke to find Muggles asleep on her lap. She had never been much of a cat person but the small cat really had wormed his way in to her heart. She smiled as the grey moggie purred in his sleep.

"Life of Riley eh Muggs?" She smiled as she ran a hand over the soft fur. She was aware no other humans were in the room. Even Scarlet and Fidget seemed to be missing. She pushed herself in to a sitting position as she noticed the white note paper on the coffee table.

"Catherine, had to pop out for a bit. Wont be long, sleep well. Love Dad" She smiled. He had taken the news much better than she suspected. The next hurdle would be talking to Graham. She placed the note back on the table and began talking to the cat who was now awake.

"Well Muggs, that explains where Dad and probably Scarlet are. Just need to find Ruth and Fidget now" She shook her head "I've been spending too much time with Ruth now, talking to a moggie like you" Muggles stretched before looking at her and walking away with his nose in the air.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Do we know anything about this Ryan Harries?" Harry walked alongside Ruth who shook her head.

"Only what Cath has told us. Harry, he's gone. Concentrate on Catherine now" She linked her arm through Harry's worried that he would try to find the man that had got his daughter pregnant then beaten her up when she had refused a termination.

"Yes" Harry nodded.

"She's a grown woman Harry. She will be ok. She has support now. She knows she's got us. You never know even Graham may benefit, knowing he's going to be an uncle may cause him to try harder to stay clean" Ruth was trying to see the positive in the situation. They had gone for a walk while Catherine slept to try to calm Harry down and get some perspective on the situation. Scarlet was happy to she had a second walk so early in the day. Harry nodded as his phone started ringing. Ruth's mobile sprang in to life in the same moment.

"Harry, it's me" Zaf spoke as Ruth read her text message.

"Sunday Zafar, this better be important"

"Yeah, sorry" Zaf sighed. "Slight problem. You need to get back to the Grid. Stan has got Graham down in the cells. He wont talk to anyone until you get here" Ruth swore as she shoved the phone back in her pocket.

"Right, that was Catherine" She cut Harry off as he went to speak. The hospital called her, apparently Ryan was there asking for her. Seems her brother got to him before you could." Ruth was livid. She stormed off ahead as Harry sighed.

"She hasn't gone there?"

"No. She's at home" Ruth's voice was clipped. Ros had a contender for Ice Queen the way Ruth was talking was certainly enough to make Harry wary.

"Good. Well Graham's in the cells at Thames House" Harry caught up with her as Ruth swore again. "I'll go there and see what is going on. How did he know about Catherine? She said we were the first she told" Harry suddenly felt very unsure of himself.

"I don't know but I think we'd better find out" Ruth walked off leaving Harry and Scarlet to follow in her wake.

**authors note. More soon. Did Graham really know what happened? Please review.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Shock **

Ruth was furious and hardly able to hide it as she reached the Grid with Harry and Scarlet. She had spent most of her Sunday trying to persuade Harry had pulverising his daughter's ex boyfriend was a bad idea only to find out Graham had gone ahead and done just that. Now they had Ryan trying to contact Catherine. She fumed as the Pod doors opened to reveal Malcolm and Zaf sat at Malcolm's computer.

"Hi Ruth" Malcolm looked up. Seeing how angry she was he quickly turned back to his computer as Tariq placed a mug of coffee in front of her.

"Thank you" Ruth sat at her desk as Tariq glanced towards Zaf. He had never seen the Intel Analyst so angry. It was left to Zaf to try to placate her. Malcolm made himself conspicuous by his absence.

"Where's Harry?"

"Trying to talk some sense in to that idiot son of his." Ruth sighed as she drank the coffee Tariq had left her. "I'm sorry I really didn't know whether to ring or not" Zaf smiled slightly as Ruth nodded.

"It's ok. I know you had to ring us. I just can't believe Graham would be this stupid" Ruth sighed as she placed the mug back on her desk.

"If it helps Ruth. I think Graham was sober when he arrived." Zaf felt incredibly guilty for calling Harry but he knew he had no choice.

"In a way that makes it worse" Ruth sighed "It means he knew exactly what he was doing" Zaf rested a hand on her arm aware that both Tariq and Malcolm had disappeared. It was the first time he had been alone with Ruth since the night on the docks when he had failed to talk her in to staying. It felt like a lifetime ago.

"Ruth, I dunno why he did it but I know Harry is going to go insane. Please just don't let whatever Graham and Catherine get up to affect you and Harry" Zaf sighed as Ruth looked up and met his eyes.

"You're right Zaf. But it's easier said than done."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry had gone straight to the cells below Thames House. He knew Ruth was angry and upset but so was he. He marched towards the cells where Graham was being housed, thankful that at least Stan had been on duty and that he knew how difficult Graham could be. He waited by the cell door as Stan opened it and stepped back allowing him to enter.

"Dad" Graham was sat on the small bench in the cell with his head in his hands. Harry stared at him before sitting next to him on the bench.

"Graham I will ask you this once. I expect the truth" Harry stared at his feet as Graham nodded.

"Ok"

"Why did you assault Ryan Harris? Why did you feel the need to beat up the man that got your sister pregnant?" Harry looked up to see the colour drain from Graham's face.

"What? Catherine is pregnant?" Graham looked as if he had been punched in the stomach.

"Don't tell me you didn't know" Harry narrowed his eyes. "Why the hell did you hit him then?" He stood and began to pace the cell. Graham sighed heavily.

"Cath got pregnant by that idiot. This just gets better and better" Graham shook his head.

"Graham, answer the bloody question" Harry was loosing what little patience he had.

"Sorry" He stood and faced his father "You are not going to like the answer, but here goes. Dad, I hit him because every Friday night for the past two months my brilliant, intelligent big sister has been buying cocaine from the creep. Ryan Harries is a small time drug dealer with a liking for blondes. I decked him because he wouldn't keep away from her. I don't want her ending up like me" He was amazed that Catherine had had a relationship with Ryan. Harry felt as if he had been punched in the stomach.

"Catherine took drugs" Harry had to be sure he heard right.

"Yes"

"How do you know? How can you be certain?" Harry knew Graham had to be wrong. Catherine was the sensible one. She had more will power than Graham. She wouldn't have fallen in with a bad crowd.

"Yes, Catherine Pearce. My sister took cocaine recreationally. Except there is no recreational with that drug. I didn't want to see her end up a junkie. She's too good for that." He sat back down as Harry leant against the cell door.

"She said she told him about your Mum and about her pregnancy and he hit her"

"Sounds like something he would do. Scum Dad. Trust me I know dealers when I see them. I used to see Catherine in the same clubs just having a drink and dancing with her friends. Then there was him and she was a different girl. After everything with Mum and Richard. She changed Dad. She wasn't coping but she wanted everyone to think she was. Had me fooled for a while too" He leant back against the wall.

"We have to get you home" Harry had to get out of the room. He was angry at Catherine but incredibly scared too. Graham nodded as he stood up.

"Am I being charged with GBH?"

"Leave that to me son. Right now I just don't know" He stepped away from the door. "But right now we have to find Ruth" Harry opened the door.

"Ruth is going to flip" Graham stepped to follow his father out of the cells.

"I think she already has" Harry patted him on the arm before leading his son up to the Grid.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ros walked along the seafront pushing Amy's buggy as the little girl watched what was going on around her, her pink elephant squashed next to her in the buggy. Lucas walked along side her watching the other holiday makers and locals as they headed towards the café Lucas had found earlier. Amy was enjoying watching the world go by. Ros glanced at Lucas out the corner of her eye as they walked along. He looked more relaxed than he had done in years. Ros couldn't help but think getting away from the Grid was the best thing they had done in years. He smiled as he caught her watching him.

"What?" He glanced at her as an elderly couple went past them. The elderly man still walked slightly too close to his wife and Lucas couldn't help but smile.

"Nothing" Ros smiled as he shook his head. "Was thinking about that time in Cleethorpes. On the pier. Remember?" Ros knew he would remember it with more clarity than she would. He had a photographic memory. He nodded as they both stood there smiling slightly. Ros knew things would change, but she never expected to feel differently. Lucas pulled Ros in to his side as he kissed her hair.

"Lunch?" He asked as Ros tensed in his arms. He automatically knew something was very wrong.

"Yeah, not here" She gripped the buggy tighter as Lucas frowned. She was already out oh his embrace and walking away before he could register what was wrong.

"Ros"

"Keep walking" Even Amy had registered there was a problem and sat in her buggy frowning at her mum.

"What's wrong?" Lucas couldn't see why Ros had suddenly changed.

"We're going back to London now" She stepped up the pace as Lucas finally caught up with her.

"Ros, what is the matter with you?" He really didn't understand where the sudden change in attitude had come from.

"You didn't see?"

"I was too busy looking at you" He smiled, trying to change the mood slightly.

"Yeah" Ros snapped "Good job I was alert then. You really didn't see the man in the café doorway?"

"What?"

"Well, it was my father's friend. Mace's friend too. Alexander Davidson. If he knows I'm here then none of us are safe" They reached the B&B as Lucas grabbed her arm.

"Your father is in prison. Your brother is in prison. Mace is dead. Ros, it's over." He was worried now. Ros never ran. He knew if Amy hadn't been there she'd never have run.

"Not where my father is concerned. If he wants me dead, he wont give up until he has his own way. We have to get back to the Grid"

**authors. Is Ros just paranoid? What is Catherine really involved in? More soon**


	4. Chapter 4

disclaimer - not mine. Um reposted as seemed to loose it the first time

**Fears from the Past**

Adam was fed up of staring at the computer in front of him. The one thing Adam Carter was not destined to be was a desk spook. He had no idea how Ruth and Malcolm had coped all these years being stuck on the Grid with nothing but the bleeping of computers. He'd much rather be out there in the thick of things. He was jolted from his thoughts by the secure line on his desk ringing.

"Carter" He mumbled in the handset, suddenly becoming more alert when he realised it was Lucas on the other end of the phone.

"You ok mate?" He didn't like how worried Lucas sounded. Surely nothing has gone wrong this time he thought as Lucas paused for a moment. "Yeah, will do. I'll ask Ruth to do some digging too." He replaced the receiver amazed at how a simple week off could turn into a drama for his best friend and her new husband. He knew why Lucas was so worried; it didn't seem to matter where Ros was trouble followed her. He looked up to see Zaf and Zoe cross the Grid towards him as he began tapping in the name Lucas had given him in to the computer.

"Ruth has finally gone to talk to Harry" Zoe sighed as she sat in her chair. Zaf nodded. The last 24 hours had been strange to say the least. While no real threat had come through the team were aware that Harry's son had been arrested and ended up in the cells below Thames House. Ruth had been sat at her desk since before they had arrived, with Adam desk duty while he filled in for Ros. There was a meeting at Whitehall that he had to prepare for. Ros had left him her notes. He knew she'd be beyond angry if he messed it up.

"Hope they sort it out. Can't believe Graham got himself arrested. Ruth's been quiet ever since she arrived this morning and Harry. Well Harry's on the verge of exploding. I wouldn't want to be the Home Secretary today" Zaf laughed as Adam pulled a face.

"Thanks mate" He picked up the file knowing that Harry was not going to go easy on him if he messed this up.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruth had taken a few minutes away from the Grid. She knew half the Grid knew Graham had been arrested. It would be common knowledge before too long. She sighed as she watched the cars below. The previous evening she had barely spoken to Harry or either of her step children that were now at home. Instead she had fed the cats and Scarlet before heading off for a shower and an early night. The idea of sleep the furthest thing from her mind but she needed to be away from everyone to get her thoughts together. Now she knew that she had pushed Harry away when she really shouldn't have done. He had been quiet since they had got up that morning. She sighed as she heard his footsteps approach.

"You and Adam have a meeting in an hour" She turned slightly as Harry approached.

"Highlight of my day" Harry rolled his eyes as he stood next to her.

"Well Ros will be back soon. Three more days and she'll be there to battle it out with you. You never know maybe Adam can flirt with the Home Secretary" Ruth smiled slightly as Harry groaned.

"God forbid." He saw her smile slightly. "Ruth?" He was suddenly uncertain. Ruth could see the way he tensed when he spoke. She rested a hand on his forearm.

"I'm sorry" He frowned as she spoke. She could see he had no idea what she was apologising for. "Last night, I shouldn't have just gone and left you with the kids. I was just too angry to face it all then. I know it's not my place, they are your kids" She shrugged as she looked out over the Monday morning traffic.

"I didn't handle things very well last night either. When Graham told me about Catherine taking cocaine I wasn't expecting it. I wanted to get hold of this Ryan Harris bloke and kill him. My little girl taking cocaine. My little girl on drugs. Makes me feel sick" He covered Ruth's hand with his own as he looked away.

"Harry" She knew he would never admit to being upset. He wiped a tear away from his eyes as he continued to look away. Ruth knew if anyone saw him he'd blame it on the wind getting in his face. She knew differently. "Harry" She tried again as he finally turned to face her.

"I don't think there is a good way to handle the news that your son has beaten up the drug dealer that got your daughter on drugs, got her pregnant and then hit her" She saw him nod slightly "But he was her boyfriend. She was bringing him to our house for Sunday lunch remember? She told me she told Ryan about the pregnancy on the Saturday night so until then she was apparently happy to bring this man to our house."

"I know" Harry watched as Ruth held his gaze. She was so close he could feel her breath on his skin.

"She says it's finished. We have to hope that means she is finished with the drugs as well." Harry nodded as she wrapped her arms around his neck, aware that the spot she was stood in couldn't be picked up on CCTV that covered all of Thames House. He rested his forehead on hers as she kissed him chastely on the lips. She pulled away and stared him in the eyes.

"Do you want me to talk to her? See if she'll tell me what is really going on? I heard you discussing it with her last night. I don't think that approach was really that effective" Ruth bit her lip as Harry raised his eyebrows.

"Thanks" He kissed her again "What did I do to deserve you?" He kissed her again as she pushed him away.

"Adam will be waiting for you" She smiled as he pretended to pout before walking towards the door. Ruth just hoped no more threats came in while the personal lives of everyone on the Grid seemed to be shot to pieces.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lucas was pleased he had persuaded Ros not to run back to London, although he knew that the peace and quiet they had been able to get while away from the Grid was shattered. He sat on the edge of the bed in the B&B listening to the shower running. Amy was finally asleep in her pram as Ros showered in the room next door. Lucas stared at the mobile phone in his hand, wondering if Ruth or Adam would be able to find anything out about the man that had unsettled Ros so much. The last time he had seen her so worked up was when they had run in to Mace. He didn't like it. Ros didn't scare easily so for her to be this worried meant there was something seriously wrong.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Ros stood in the shower as the hot water nearly scalded her skin. She remembered being a little girl playing in the garden with Sally and Philip as her father sat a few feet away with Alexander Davidson. She hadn't liked him then. Even Sally had said he was creepy. Even at ten years old Ros had known he was bad news, she also knew he would do whatever her father and Oliver Mace asked. It was that knowledge that worried her today, nearly thirty years later.

"Christ Ros" She muttered to herself as the hot water turned her skin pink. "You are 38 years old. You can handle Davidson now, he's an old man." She muttered as she finally turned the shower off. The sound of the bathroom door opening caused her to turn round.

"Ok Ros, Adam phoned" He watched as she wrapped the towel around her.

"What did he say?"

"Alexander Davidson has been living in Wales since he was released from prison. He didn't follow us here, he was already here" Lucas smiled. He knew it wasn't like Ros to be paranoid, if she as worried then there was a good chance she had good reason to be worried. Lucas stepped closer to her as she continued to dry her hair. He noticed the painful red marks on her already scarred shoulders.

"Right" Ros sighed as Lucas took hold of her biceps, forcing her to look at him.

"Ros, he hasn't followed you here. We go home tomorrow as planned" Lucas smiled slightly as she looked him in the eye.

"He's dangerous Lucas. Sally was terrified of him when we were little. He was always at our house. Philip adored him but he always gave me the creeps. Insisted on calling me his Rosalind. Even at 8 it made me want to be sick. He used to joke that one day he'd marry me. I used to think he was serious, especially when my father just used to laugh it off , agree with him. He was involved in my father's treachery you know" Ros shook her head as an anger seemed to momentarily flash over Lucas' face. He felt sick at the thought that Ros had been scared of him.

"Did he hurt you Ros? Is that why you are so scared of him?" He had to know and his gut lurched as she tensed in his arms.

"He never got the chance. I always thought there was something creepy about him so I made damn sure neither Sally or I were alone with him. He knew I didn't like him" Lucas pulled her to him as both mobile phones began ringing, neither was expecting Harry to red flash the team then. Ros grabbed her phone from the side of the sick and swore as she speed dialled the Grid.

"What is it? We're in Wales" She barked in to the phone.

"Sorry Ros. I wouldn't call you back if I didn't have to. Please come back" Malcolm sounded worried.

"What is it?" Lucas had already headed in to the bedroom to retrieve Amy and their belongings.

"Entire team has been red flashed. I know you were on leave but we really do need all hands on deck" Malcolm continued to babble.

"Ok Malcolm. Breathe. What. Has. Happened?" She began pulling on clothes as she spoke.

"There's been another threat. Nightingale. Or someone pretending to be them are back" Ros swore as she hung up the phone. She knew things were never really going to be over as far as Nightingale were concerned.

**are nightingale really back? More soon**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer not mine**

Returns

Zoe stared at Zaf as he replaced the phone back on the desk. The Grid was a bustle of activity with the various spooks all recalled to duty. Ruth ran a hand over her eyes as she saw Zaf nod.

"Tell me you may be wrong" Zoë's voice clipped out the statement as Ruth's eyes filled with tears. She was angry rather than upset but had no where to offload the anger. She blinked back the tears knowing that now was not the time for tears. Zaf sighed; he knew both women were looking directly at him.

"How long until Ros and Lucas get here?" He glanced towards Malcolm who joined the trio.

"I called them thirty minutes ago. In good traffic I'm estimating a couple of hours" He tapped a few keys on the computer.

"They are in Pembrokeshire, how many speed cameras will I have to hack in to this time?" Ruth grumbled. She hated it but knew that all the officers on the Grid would have lost their licences years ago if she hadn't got into the database. Even Jo had got 9 points on her licence, all acquired during Ruth's absence. Ruth felt herself freeze as she thought of her young friend. She had to make a visit she had always hated soon. But it was getting near Jo's birthday and she felt she had to visit the cemetery at least once this summer. Zaf closed his eyes as Zoe repeated the question.

"It has all their hallmarks. Look Zoe I hope I'm wrong. We were in Chile when it all kicked off here but you saw what happened on the news. These people are serious" He shoved his mobile in his jeans as Zoe nodded.

"No Zaf" Ruth shook her head "You and the rest of the world only saw half of what happened. It was the tip of the ice berg. Nightingale nearly killed three senior officers here, and the Home Secretary. It's a miracle Ros is alive, that Lucas wasn't paralysed. I'm still amazed Andrew Lawrence is alive." She didn't mention Harry. The fact he had willingly walked in to the bomb site, knowing what he could face but still unsure of how she felt at the time was a never ending source of nightmares for her.

"I guessed CNN only had half the story" Zaf glanced towards the Pods. Harry and Adam had still to return to the Grid.

"So what do we do?" Zoe sighed as Tariq looked like he was panicking as he almost attacked the computer in front of him.

"Wait for Harry and the others, find out as much as we can about what is going on and then we stop it. We stop them" Ruth took her seat as Zaf walked to the coffee machine. Zoe ran a hand through her short hair before picking up the phone. Ruth watched the team around her begin to find tasks and get on with their work while she secretly worried how a resurgent Nightingale could affect not only Section D but the rest of the UK. She picked up her phone and dialled a direct line to her contact in GCHQ.

"Hi Sam, it's me. Look I need you to find out as much as you can for me on a man called Alexander Davidson" She paused "Yes he is out of prison, no I only found out today".

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Harry marched along the corridor outside the Home Secretary's office. Adam tried his best to keep up with the pace the older man had set. The weekly meeting had not gone well.

"The bloody woman!" Harry muttered darkly "She knows as much about counter terrorism as I do about needlepoint! Bloody woman" He glared as Adam suppressed a smile.

"Harry"

"Don't Harry me. That woman makes Andrew Lawrence look almost competent. Nightingale have never sent through coded warnings. We found them by accident in the first place. If it wasn't for Nicholas Blake we never would have found them. Now Davidson is out of prison and no one thinks to inform us! Bloody ludicrous!" Adam watched as Harry turned a very unhealthy shade of red, he understood why Ruth worried about his blood pressure.

"I had the team red flashed. Including Ros and Lucas" He stated. When Harry was in this mood it was better to sick to merely the facts. Harry was an old friend as well as his superior and he knew only too well the extent of his temper when properly riled. It seemed the Home Secretary had managed to get him to that point. Adam didn't envy the woman, knowing that if Nightingale had returned it wouldn't be the last meeting where Harry would see red.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ros closed her eyes as Lucas drove. They had reached the Anglo/Welsh border in record time. Amy slept peacefully in the back of the car and Ros took the opportunity to close her eyes. She was scared and exhausted although she would never admit to either. Lucas stole a glance at her as he slowed the car down. She had lost weight since the shooting; her already small frame seemed too small in the car seat. He would never tell her he was worried but made a mental note to try to watch her when they got home to ensure she ate properly.

"Stop worrying" Ros muttered as she kept her eyes closed. Lucas gave a wry half smile. The woman next to him seemed to know what he was thinking.

"I love you" He whispered and saw her lips curl in to a smile.

"Glad someone does" She replied as he shook his head before placing his foot firmly back on the accelerator as they joined the M4. He was worried about what they would face back in London; Malcolm's message had been suitably oblique. The cars around him forcing him to keep with in the legal speed limit as they headed to the Capital.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry waited as the Pod doors open allowing him access to the Grid. The whole team were present as he cast a quick glance at Ruth before heading in to his office. Ruth refocused on the screen in front of her, she was still angry that Nightingale were back. After everything that they had gone through she knew they had got complacent, thinking that the death of Mace and Hans Linnerman meant Nightingale would remain MI6's problem. Now they were playing catch up and it scared Ruth.

"Briefing Room, NOW!" Harry barked from his office as Lucas and Ros appeared in the Grid. Amy had been dropped off with Carrie. Ros grabbed some briefing notes from Tariq's desk as they walked in to the Briefing Room. She was as angry as Harry was. Lucas and Ruth exchanged glances, both worried about what would happen next.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Harry wanted Nightingale dealt with quickly. He couldn't believe they had been dealing with the group for the best part of two years. It was like the group couldn't be ended. The hotel bombing had been catastrophic for London and for his team. People had been killed and seriously injured with the diplomatic fallout between America and the UK at an all time low. Harry smirked, he couldn't see how falling out with the cousins was a bad thing but apparently it was. He watched the assembled spooks take their seats around the Briefing Room table.

"Harry what is this really about?" Ros was the first to speak. Adam glanced at Zaf. He was deadly serious.

"Nightingale appear to have returned to haunt us" He sat at the head of the table as Ros glared. She didn't like this one bit.

"In what way? We knew we never really got rid of them. Just pushed them back to mainland Europe. It's MI 6 and the Foreign Office's problem." She hoped she was right.

"No, not when they seem to have recruited yet more senior intelligence officers. Three employees at the Foreign Office have been suspended and interviewed regarding intelligence they came across which they withheld from us" Harry was clearly still very angry.

"Yeah we found out this morning" Zaf cleared his throat. "James Lloyd, Susan Evans and John Harries all worked for GCHQ and MI 6. All had Intel that Nightingale had a way back in to the UK. None told their senior officers, no one told us"

"So how do we know?" Lucas did not like what he was hearing.

"Ruth intercepted something from Susan Evans' computer." Zoe replied.

"Ruth?" Ros turned to her.

"Well, I didn't technically hack in but GCHQ is pathetically easy for me to pick up. I intercepted a message when a key word came up. The group seems to have had sleeper agents here all the time. Now it seems they want to remove the UK from the political map" She braved a glance at Harry as she spoke. He was glaring at the pad in front of him, his altercation with the Home Secretary still fresh in his mind.

"How do they intend to do that? Mace and Hans Linnerman are gone" Tariq was confused.

"Yes they are" Harry spoke up

"GCHQ has come across some Intel that suggests the Houses of Parliament are a direct target." Ruth started as Harry looked directly at Adam. Adam was as angry as he was. He'd missed the initial impact of Nightingale but Lucas had told him once of the effect it had had on the whole team. The only good thing to come out of it all was Malcolm's return to active service.

"We saw the Home Secretary this morning. She thinks Nightingale is no longer a problem" He was as furious as Harry but managed to contain it a little as Ruth rolled her eyes.

"Even though Andrew Lawrence gave us carte blanche to go after them?" Zoe joined in.

"The concerns of the previous Government are not the concerns of the present cabinet" Harry huffed as Ros seethed.

"So we think Nightingale are going after the establishment this time rather than trying to get round the current set up? Mace will still have contacts, as will Linnerman" Ros hoped she wouldn't hear the name she had been dreading.

"Yes, intelligence from GCHQ and the CIA suggest that one of Mace's contacts has been cultivating assets here. The three suspended by GCHQ and MI 6 all mentioned one name." Ruth glanced towards Harry.

"Yes Alexander Davidson seems to be a problem. I want him found. If he is involved in this I want to know to what extent and who he is working with. The man has only been out of prison for five months. He had to have help with this." Harry stood effectively ending the meeting as Ros began handing out tasks. Lucas glanced towards her briefly knowing she would be worried about the man her father was friends with and what his involvement in anything Nightingale related could mean for Section D.

Xxxxxxxxx

The team began to disperse from the Briefing Room decidedly less enthusiastically than they had arrived when Tariq re entered the room.

"Harry?" He looked towards his boss as Harry's head snapped up. Ruth was collecting pieces of paper and putting them back in the appropriate folders as Tariq waited for Harry to answer.

"Yes"

"Phone call for you. Line one. It's urgent" Tariq made to leave the room as Ruth stood up. Line one was the secure line. It hardly ever meant good news was on the way.

"Thank you Tariq. I've had phone calls before they've been known to wait" Harry snapped as Ruth couldn't help but suppress a smirk.

"Yeah, but "Tariq glanced at Ruth hoping she would help.

"But what?" Harry barked.

"It's the hospital. Catherine is there" He left the room quietly as the colour drained from Harry's face.

**author's note. Thanks for the reviews. Hope you are still enjoying this. Next chapter is a bit more angsty/drama but there will be fluff I promise. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Fathers and Daughters**

Ruth returned to her desk worried sick as to why Catherine could be in the hospital. She avoided the concerned looks of Zaf and Adam knowing that neither man knew why Graham had been arrested. Harry had taken the call in his office and looked even more worried than she felt. She watched as he returned the phone to his desk before walking out of his office and directly towards her. He had known she would be watching him through the office window.

"Ruth, I have to go out for a while" He watched as she nodded.

"Yes" She touched his hand as he leant on her desk "How is she?"

Harry looked at the floor briefly before catching Ruth's eye again. He looked terrified. The thought of anything happening to his children had always made him feel physically sick. He knew Ruth was worried too. He glanced around the Grid aware that the others were all absorbed in their current tasks. His disappearance from the Grid would certainly cause a few raised eyebrows.

"She's been beaten up. It seems that _boyfriend_ of hers got handy with his fists again. Apparently Graham phoned the ambulance when he got home. He found her, looks like someone got in the house. Graham said there was no sign of forced entry so she must have let him in the house." He could feel himself getting angry.

"Oh my God" Ruth sighed. She suddenly wished she could find Ryan Harries herself, even though she knew that line of thought would do no good at all. "Go to the hospital. I'll cover here. I'll try to get there as soon as I can. If you need me ring me" Harry nodded and smiled slightly as she squeezed his hand.

"If?" Harry smiled slightly as Ruth raised her eyebrows. He saw Tariq glance at them.

"Yes. Keep me informed" He tried to maintain his usual authoritative tone as Ruth nodded. He held her gaze slightly longer than he needed to as he walked across to the Pods. Ruth sent a silent prayer that Catherine would be ok. She didn't know what would happen to Harry and Graham if something happened to her step daughter.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ros couldn't get the thought that seeing Alexander Davidson in Wales was a coincidence out of her mind. She had never believed in coincidences when she wasn't in the service and now she was convinced he had been watching her. She picked up the coffee on her desk and walked towards Ruth who looked more dejected than ever. Ros didn't have the energy to enquire what was upsetting the analyst.

"I'm going to meet an asset. I'll ring in an hour if I get anything useful. Ruth, check this for me" She handed Ruth a slip of paper as the Intel Analyst nodded.

"Of course" Ruth looked up "Where are you really going Ros?"

"To see an asset" She pushed herself away from the desk and headed towards the Pods. Ruth didn't like the way things were working out. Glancing across at Adam and Malcolm she could see that neither of them liked it either. Malcolm watched Ros exit the Pods as he continued to go through the CCTV footage of the last few days. Ruth returned her attention to her computer. Something about Davidson's release just didn't ass up. Ruth just couldn't work out what.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The rain continued to lash the streets of London as Ros walked up the stone steps in front of her. She felt sick; she had no desire to be there but couldn't really see how else she could find out what was going on. She knew the rest of Section D would go insane. She had a fair idea that Harry would have her removed from MI 5. She looked around the room as a guard brought in the older man. She was determined that she wouldn't show how afraid she was.

"Rosalind" She turned as she heard her name

"Hello"

"You finally came to see me" The older man sat down as Ros nodded to the guard.

"Not through any wish to see you" She glared as she took the seat across the desk from him. The room seemed so much smaller now she was actually facing him. The guard stood by the door watching everything that happened. Ros glared at the man across from her. She suddenly wished Lucas was with her or at least that he knew where she was.

"I'm here to say one thing to you. I wanted to say it to your face. Call off the goons. Stay away from me and stay away from mine" She stood and walked towards the guard.

"You'll never be free of me Rosalind. I may be in here but I'll always have friends on the outside" He smirked as Ros turned and walked back to him. She noticed he had leant the chair back against the wall so that it balanced on the two back legs. She pushed the chair so his head hit the back wall.

"You may be my father but I am not scared of you. I never will be again. Call off the goons. Once chance daddy dearest or I can make life in here just as difficult for you and Philip as you tried to make it for me. Call off the goons" She let the chair drop as she walked away. He laughed as the guard opened the door for her.

"You may be a North in name now but you'll always be a Myers." Ros turned and glared. "You are a chip off the old block, Rosalind Sarah Myers"

"You were warned" She spat as the guard let her pass.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Adam and Lucas were sat in the car opposite Westminster. Neither man particularly happy about the recent turn of events. Adam watched out of the car window as he saw a man about the same age as Tariq leave the newsagents and cross the road towards a parked Renault Clio.

"I did a little digging after you called" Adam started

"Yeah I know" Lucas narrowed his eyes as he watched the younger man drive away.

"That is Paul Davidson. Alexander Davidson's nephew. Nasty piece of work" Adam started the car and followed the black Renault Clio at a pace where he hoped the young driver wouldn't realise he was being followed.

"And?"

"And I think its Paul that has been doing his uncle's dirty work on the outside. I think it's him that has been doing the leg work while Davidson was inside" Adam slowed the car down as they reached the crossroads. "Nightingale is still active Lucas"

"Yeah spotted that" Lucas glared. He'd spotted Ros and Ruth talking in the Grid. He hadn't seen or heard from her since. He couldn't help but think there was something going on none of them was aware of. He couldn't fight the worry that gnawed away at his stomach. Ros had gone AWOL before but never for this long.

"So I think if we get Paul to talk to us we may find out how they intend to attack us" Adam pressed his foot to the floor as Lucas nodded…

"We know Parliament is a direct target. What we don't know is how or when" Lucas glared as Adam drove.

"Exactly. Wonder if they had this problem in Guy Fawkes time?" Adam shook his head and smiled as Lucas just raised his eyebrows.

"I'm hoping counter terrorism has evolved a little since then" Adam couldn't suppress the smile that passed over his face.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Ros needed some air after talking to her father. She could only hope he'd take her threats seriously enough to get his goons to leave her alone. She knew her days were numbered but the thought of Amy accidentally being caught in the crossfire nearly killed her. Before she realised where she was she was walking along the cemetery path towards where Jo was laid to rest. She looked ahead to see a small brunette sat on the bench opposite.

"Hello Ros" Ruth turned and smiled.

"Shouldn't you be on the Grid?" Ros looked away as Ruth nodded.

"If not there then at the hospital"

"How is Catherine?" Ruth raised her eyebrows "I'm a spy for God's sake of course I know"

Ruth sighed as Ros sat next to her. "Ok, I think. They are letting her come home. She had some abdominal pain and a slight bleed but they say it's all settled down so she's ok. Apparently bleeding in very early pregnancy is fairly common" Ruth leant forward and reread the inscription on Jo's headstone. Ros nodded.

"She was your best friend" Ros glanced briefly at the headstone

"Yes, it would be her birthday on Wednesday"

"I never intended to kill her. I knew the bullet would go through him but she nodded. She knew Ruth. She _knew. _I assumed she would get out the way or that she had a vest. I killed her and I'm so sorry" Ros had thought the words a million times but never had the guts to say them out loud. It seemed today was a day where a lot of things she never thought she could or would say would be spoken.

"Ros, she was my best friend. I knew Jo. She knew what she was telling you when she nodded. She knew it would kill her. Stop blaming yourself Ros, it isn't doing you or anyone else any good." Ruth sighed as she saw Ros straighten up. The Ice Queen was back. She nodded as Ruth stood up.

"Think about what I said Ros" Ruth turned and began to walk back to the gates. Ros followed her.

"You really are the mother of section D Ruth Pearce" Ros smiled slightly as she spoke. Ruth raised her eyebrows. "The boys, Zoe they all know you keep an eye on us. Yet none of them know why" She watched as Ruth went pale.

"I haven't said anything Ruth. I promised you I wouldn't and I haven't. You told me you were 16 when you had your baby. How old would she have been now? The same age as Jo? Catherine?" Ros held her gaze aware that Ruth had only ever told two people what had happened to her as a girl.

"Chloe would be the same as age as Catherine. If she had lived. I would have a 23 year old daughter" Ruth closed her eyes as the tears began to form.

"Maybe you should tell Catherine that. It might give her insight in to what she is actually doing to her body. To her baby. History repeating itself, except this time she gets to learn from someone who's been there" Ros wondered when she had actually got so wise but decided not to voice that thought.

"Maybe" Ruth sighed as both their mobiles rang.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"ZAF!" Zoe yelled as she ran down the flight of concrete stairs in the tower block. He turned and saw her reach the last step on the stairwell before turning to meet the stairs for the lower floor.

"We have got to get out of here" She yelled as Zaf pulled the door open. It was then the blast rang out knocking both Zaf and Zoe off their feet. Zaf hit the ground with a thud as masonry landed around him. Coughing he looked around. Zoe was gone.

**author's note. Please let me know what you think. Just a filler chapter, more action next time. Where is Zoe? Is Zaf ok? What will happen when/if Lucas finds out where Ros went and will Harry meet up with Ryan? Is Davidson really helping Nightingale get back in to the UK? Please review.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer. Still not mine**

**Nightingale?**

Zaf coughed as the smoke and debris began to settle around him. The explosion had happened on the floor above them in what they believed to be a disused block of flats in Camden. He wiped the dust from his eyes as he looked around for Zoe, she had been just above him on the staircase. The validity of the asset's information now worried him. He pushed himself in to a sitting position as he looked around him. Zoe had been unnaturally quiet since the explosion. It was not like her to be quiet and it immediately set Zaf's nerves on edge.

"Zoe" He half whispered as he saw her body lying awkwardly across the staircase. He was worried there would be another explosion, that they would be trapped in the building. In the distance he could hear the sirens of the fire brigade and ambulance on the way to them. He dragged himself across to her, she was too still to be conscious and that knowledge made him feel sick.

"Zoe" He gently shook her shoulder, careful not to move her too much. "C'mon this was your informant. You can't sleep through this!" He tried not to panic but suddenly realised how Lucas must feel every time Ros went off and did something where she got hurt. He closed his eyes and dared himself to check for a pulse. It was there, slow and steady as he pressed two fingers to her neck. It was then that Zaf allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief. Her eyes fluttered open as she saw him leaning over her.

"Morning" She mumbled as Zaf shook his head.

"You ok?"

"No, but I'm going to kill Davies when I get my hands on him. Bloody information is useless." She touched the back of her head as she realised she was bleeding. Zaf helped her in to a sitting position. The blood ran down on to her collar as she held a hand to her ribs. Zaf didn't like how her speech sounded slightly slurred.

"We have got to get out of here" Zaf pulled her to her feet, noticing how much she winced as she moved. Zaf wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her against him. She nodded as she fought the urge to collapse against him. Zaf gingerly half carried her, half walked down the remaining steps aware that they had to get out of the building before anything else happened. He didn't like how pale the field officer looked. He didn't like how quiet she was either, or the way the blood seemed to ooze from her scalp. She nodded as he spoke, aware that she had to stay awake when all she really wanted to do was sleep.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Grid was a hive of activity when the two women returned . Tariq was going through the information they had got from previous Nightingale attacks while Malcolm searched through the records from the emergency services, trying to work out who and when the ambulance that picked up Zoe had been called. Harry emerged from his office as Ruth reached her desk. He sighed as he saw his wife approach her desk, she seemed to be even more worried than she had been when Harry had seen him earlier in the day. She knew something had happened to Zoe but she didn't know what, as Harry beckoned her over she couldn't help but think that the worst.

"Where were you and Ros?" He stared at her as she briefly looked around the Grid. Lucas seemed to be having a very similar conversation with Ros. Sighing she knew he was waiting for an answer.

"At the cemetery. I didn't really intend on being there for so long, but it's Jo's birthday on Wednesday and then Ros arrived" She shrugged slightly as Harry rested a hand on her forarm "She's still blaming herself. It's still killing her" She could feel Harry's eyes on her as she spoke. Harry nodded, he knew Ros had never really dealt with Jo's death. He didn't think she ever really would. "We got the red flash from Adam. What's happened?" Ruth knew she wasn't going to like what he was about to say.

"Zoe is injured. Head wound and a slight concussion. Zaf is with her at the hospital" He couldn't take his eyes off her but knew the rest of the Grid would have something to say if he didn't snap back in to work mode soon. Ruth ran a hand through her hair aware that he was still staring at her. She swallowed hard before returning her gaze to Harry. "And Catherine? I was going to come to the hospital but I'm sorry Harry I got the red flash before I could get there" She suddenly felt incredibly guilty, she knew how much Harry had been worried about his daughter.

"I know. Graham took her home. She's ok, they did a scan. The baby is ok." He smiled slightly, the idea of becoming a grandfather was beginning to grow on him. Ruth smiled slightly as she began to fidget with the edge of her blouse. She knew there was more to be said, but it was the wrong place to continue the conversation.

"Later?" She smiled as he nodded briefly once. It was Tariq bouncing on his heels and yelling for him to go to his computer that startled Harry back in to work mode.

"Yes Tariq? What is it?" The entire section had got used to Tariq getting exited whenever he found anything even vaguely useful.

"er Harry? You want to see this. I mean you really want to see this" He pointed at his computer screen as Harry and Ruth exchanged glances before walking across to the young man's work station.

"Well, enlighten me" He peered over Tariq's shoulder staring at the computer screen.

"See this?" Tariq pointed at the screen. "This isn't the Nightingale we had before. Not only is there no Mace now, no Linnerman but this isn't the MO we were used to. Nightingale do not blow up derelict blocks of flats" Ros joined the trio as Lucas ran a hand through his hair. It was Lucas that broke the tense silence. He was remembering in detail what had happened on the day of the hotel bomb. It seemed a lifetime ago, in reality it was just over a year. So much had changed since that awful day he thought to himself. Ros tapped a few keys on the computer keyboard as Lucas joined them.

"No, Nightingale never really bothered with destroying derelict buildings. It couldn't be them now unless" He let the sentance hang as Ros looked at him.

"Unless it was a trial run for something bigger. C'mon" She turned on her heel and headed for the Pods as Harry called after her and Lucas.

"Where are you going?" Harry had intended on keeping all the officers on the Grid until they had more intelligence. He knew that was going to be difficult as he saw Adam pick up his jacket.

"To find the something bigger" Ros shot over her shoulder without turning back. Her and Lucas were through the Pods as Harry shook his head. He hated to agree with Tariq but so far none of the evidence was pointing to Nightingale. The tip off to say they were back seemed to be a red herring. Harry glared at the computer screen as he thought about what the Home Secretary had said.

"If it isn't Nightingale" Ruth stepped away, ready to return to her own desk. "Then we have no idea who it is"

"I understand the bloody problem Ruth" Harry snapped as Malcolm and Tariq turned abruptly to see him march back to his office while Ruth glowed red. Tariq raised his eyebrows in surprise, he had never heard Harry raise his voice to Ruth. Ruth shot Harry a filthy look before returning to her desk, knowing she had unwittingly given the rest of the Grid something to gossip about.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ros walked along Oxford Street amongst the various tourists and shoppers as Lucas fell in to step next to her. He was worried about her disappearance earlier in the day. He glanced at her as they reached the corner of the street. She was completely back in work mode, it was as if their time in Wales had never happened. He couldn't help but think a break abroad would have been a better idea. She had even mentioned escaping to Barbados once though Lucas had thought she was joking at the time. Ros stopped abruptly as Lucas nearly collided with her.

"Why now?" She stared across the road as the cars and buses sped past. Lucas raised an eyebrow

"Why now what?"

"Nighingale disappeared after the Hotel Bombing was dealt with. Richard Dolby died before we got close. It isn't Nightingale Lucas. It isn't" She sounded so determined as Lucas turned to her.

"So we know it isn't Nightingale's MO. We know the men we identified at Basel are all either dead or in prison. What do you think is going on?" Lucas rested his hands on her shoulders as he waited for her to meet his eye.

"It is not Nightingale. If it was Zoe would be dead not in hospital" Lucas nodded, he could see her reasoning.

"So?" He wanted to hear her say what he was afraid of.

"Davidson. He's behind it. I think he is working with my father" She straightened up to her full height as Lucas sighed. He knew she was being paranoid and hated it. Ros narrowed her eyes as he ushered her into the gap between two shops. His arms never left her shoulders. Once she would have found his touch comforting, now it just annoyed her.

"Ros, you can't link everything back to your father. I mean the last time you spoke to him..." He struggled to think as Ros pressed a finger to his lips, effectively silencing him.

"Was today. I went to the prison today. He clearly has links to the outside world, apart from Philip and he has been using them. Nightingale is exactly the type of thing he would be involved in if he was a free man. Killing those officers that put him in prison and blaming it on Nightingale is exactly what he would do" She stepped back but Lucas never removed his hands from her.

"You spoke to your father?" Lucas had a feeling she was no longer being paranoid. He knew Jocelyn Myers still had a hold on all his children. He hated it but didn't see how he could change Ros' perception of her father. He held her gaze as she found an interesting spot on his shirt to stare at.

"If we hadn't just got back from Wales who would have been at the tower block? Not Zaf and Zoe." She narrowed her eyes as she spoke. Lucas fought the urge to pull her in to his arms as the cars continued to speed by. He felt sick at the thought that Ros had been right, Davidson was helping Jocelyn Myers chase down the Section that had put him in prison, including his daughter. Ros stood with her back against the wall.

"And everyone thought I was such a Daddy's girl" She deadpanned as Lucas looked out along Oxford Street.

**author's note. More soon xx**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer Still not mine**

**Meetings**

Harry sat in his office quietly seething. He knew Ruth was right, Tariq had confirmed it. Nightingale didn't operate like that. A disused tower block in Camden was not what they went after. It didn't make sense. He knew someone was blaming Nightingale to defer attention from them. Then there was Catherine to think about. She was scaring him half to death, drug abuse, violent boyfriends, unplanned pregnancy and her brother getting arrested were all playing on his mind. To think I told Ruth she was the sensible one. He sighed as he looked up to see Ruth enter his office without knocking.

"You have to sign these" She placed an armful of files on his desk before turning to leave.

"Ruth" He sighed as he covered her hand with his own; he smiled slightly as she paused.

"Later Harry"

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to snap. You are right. Nightingale does not work like this" He watched as her eyes clouded over.

"We don't know for certain but I'm sure Davidson is something to do with this. Think about it Harry. If Lucas and Ros hadn't been on honeymoon who would have gone to the tower block? Zaf and Zoe would never have been there. Ros and Lucas would have been there" She watched as Harry nodded his agreement.

"So you think it was a direct hit?" Ruth found it incredulous as she even thought it. Harry stood and crossed the office to her.

"I don't know, not for certain. But I do know that Jocelyn Myers is scum and I wouldn't put it past him. He had his own son try to kill Ros" He was so close Ruth could smell his aftershave.

"Almost Shakespearian if you think about it" Ruth held his gaze.

"Yes. But I try not to think about it. Ruth I need you to look in to this for me" He handed her a slip of paper. Ruth nodded once before reading the piece of paper.

"Divine Earth? Are you sure? I thought they were some sort of environmental group that disbanded years ago" Ruth was confused. What did the bombs, Nightingale and a defunct environmental group have to do with Davidson? With Ros' father?

"I'm sure. They were a terrorist group. Adam and Ros nearly died because of them. Ruth, their ring leader died but Davidson was part of that group. Maybe it was too close to home even then, maybe I wasn't looking where I should have been but it is possible that even then Jocelyn Myers was planning to kill those who put him on prison, those that ended his coup… Using whatever means possible" Ruth sighed as Harry's gaze tore in to her.

"I'll look in to it. See what I can get Sam to dig up for me" She smiled as she felt Harry's fingers draw invisible circles on her hand. "What will you do?"

"I'm going to talk to Jocelyn Myers. See what the hell he thinks he is playing at"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Adam marched along Carnaby Street heading towards the bench where he was going to meet his asset. He knew the man would be late. Brown was never on time but the information he gave was always reliable so far. Adam often wondered how the man could be such a good informant but had no regard for time keeping. He sat on the bench and began to use the time to daydream about Carrie. He was watching the crowd and thinking how lucky he was that she had taken him back when a familiar Irish accent made himself known.

"Alex" He sat down as Adam nodded. Brown only knew him by his alias. "This bloke you wanted to know about is a nasty piece of work."

"Yeah, I know that much" Adam remained impassive as he stared in to space. To the shoppers in the street he looked like anyone else sat outside a coffee shop watching the world go by. "You got what I needed? I haven't got time to mess about"

"Calm down" Brown smiled as he reached in to the inside pocket of his jacket. "Watch out for that friend of yours. The blonde woman with the kiddie? He's sweet on her. I'm sure of it, but if that's the case then she really is in trouble. See ya" Brown got up and walked away as Adam stared at the A4 brown envelope on the table in front of him. Suddenly he had a feeling Ros was in more danger than any of them could have ever imagined.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ros turned on her heels and headed back towards the car as Lucas began to follow. He knew there was more to Ros' relationship with her family than had met the eye. He knew he would never really understand what was going on where the Myers were concerned. He didn't want to believe her father was capable of ordering a professional hit yet again.

"You spoke to your father?" Lucas had to march to keep up with her.

"Yes"

Lucas nodded once briefly as he caught up with her. A woman with a black coat too warm for the August weather was walking towards them as Lucas touched Ros' lower back. She had seen the woman too and narrowed her eyes. The gun that appeared from behind the handbag didn't take either spook by surprise as Lucas deftly grabbed the woman's wrist and pushed her towards Ros while they ushered her towards the car.

"Ok" Ros spoke closely to her ear as they entered the alley way "You've followed us for the last twenty minutes. Who sent you?" Ros held the woman by her throat as Lucas watched. The woman remained silent as Lucas raised his eyebrows.

"If I were you I'd answer the question" He watched as Ros continued to hold the woman by her throat.

"Who sent you" Ros stated. "Look I don't have time for this crap. Can't I just shoot her?" Lucas almost laughed but had a funny feeling Ros was being serious.

"You know who sent me" The woman's voice was heavily accented as Ros slightly reduced the pressure on her neck.

"Confirm my suspicions" Ros held the woman's gaze.

"Davidson" Ros widened her eyes as the woman spoke. It was then that Lucas really looked at the woman wearing the hooded top and black jacket. He felt sick. This was not happening. It couldn't be.

"Elisabeta who sent you?" Lucas blocked the alley way as he realised his ex wife had never stopped her traitorous ways. He hadn't really expected her too. Elisabeta looked at his left hand as he braced it against the wall.

"You married" She was aghast as Lucas smiled.

"Answer the question, who is Davidson with? He doesn't have the capitol to hire a double crossing bitch like you" Ros wanted to slap the woman but held her temper.

"You're father. He works with your father" Ros pulled the woman roughly towards the car. "We continue this in the interview room" Lucas glared after the two women as things just began to get very interesting.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Zaf leant against the wall outside the A&E department as he waited for Zoe. So far he had called Ruth on his mobile and then Adam, just to let them know the situation with Zoe. He dreaded to think what little Emma would think when she saw her mum battered and bruised. He knew it wasn't going to be the first time Emma had seen her covered in blood and battered. It made him feel sick to think of what the child had seen in Chile. It made him more determined to look after both the women in his life. He smiled as Zoe appeared in the doorway of the A&E department.

"Ready?" Zaf pushed himself away from the wall.

"Yes" She smiled slightly "Back to the Grid" She smiled as he walked towards her, stopping when he was directly in front of her.

"Home" He pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes as Zoe smiled slightly. "I talked to the others, they know what happened. We got the afternoon off" He watched as Zoe just stared.

"It's 5pm how does that qualify as the afternoon off?" She smiled slightly.

"You have concussion. How can you work with that? I'm taking you home" Zaf took her hand in his as they began to walk towards the taxi Zaf had ordered.

"Oh I love it when your masterful" Zoe laughed and then regretted it as her head began to pound.

"Zoe" Zaf stopped before looking at his feet. It had been too close today and it had shaken him. He knew Zoe was trying to make light of the situation but he felt sick at the thought of what could have happened. She turned to him, aware that he was quieter than usual.

"I know" She reached up and kissed him chastely on the lips.

"Zoe, I" He stared at her as she smiled slightly. "I love you" Zoe smiled broadly as she heard him.

"Tell me again when I can walk in a straight line without being held up, when the world stops spinning a little" She ran a finger across his lips "But for now take me home Zaf"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry knew Ruth didn't want him to interview Jocelyn Myers. He knew Ros would be annoyed with him but all routes of investigation came back to him. It seemed that just because the man was in prison he wasn't going to give up his reign of terror. The man's need to control his children was almost psychopathic. Harry had seen what it did to Ros but could only imagine what it had done to Sally and Philip. Harry glared at the interview room door as the guard began to unlock it. Harry knew the older man was waiting inside and that he would see it as an ego boost that the head of Section D was personally coming to interview him, all Harry could see was a vile old man who was terrified that his daughter was more intelligent, more well respected and liked and happy in her personal life than he could ever be. As far as Harry could see the prisoner was a jealous mean minded old man hell bent on revenge but unfortunately he had a number of croanies on the outside willing to do as he instructed. Davidson was just one of the idiots that listened to Myers. The interview room door opened as the guard stepped back to allow Harry to enter.

"Harry Pearce" Joss Myers stood and stared as Harry walked in to the room.

"Sit down" Harry stated as he remained standing. "Alexander Davidson, where is he and what is he planning next" Harry stated coldly as he remained standing opposite the convict.

"Well, well Alexander is causing a lot of problems" He smiled in admiration for his old friend. Harry wanted to hit him.

"Answer the question"

"He is a friend. A good friend. A loyal man. I will show him the same loyalty as he showed me" Joss glared.

"The same loyalty you showed your children? Your wife?" Harry narrowed his eyes.

"Oh, pot, kettle and black Pearce"

"I grew up, realised this world didn't revolve around me. That the children have to come first, whatever age they are" Harry hoped a guilt trip may get the information they needed. He could see by the look on Jocelyn Myers face that he had absolutely no remorse.

"That's nice Harry. Rosalind betrayed not only me but her mother. She was never supposed to do what she did. The little whore should have done as I told her, kept her mouth shut and married the man I had chosen for her as a young girl" It was all Harry could do not to reach across the table and strangle Jocelyn with his bare hands. It made him sick to his stomach to hear a father talk about his daughter in such a way. Instead Harry stood and continued to glare in to Jocelyn's eyes. He never broke eye contact as he walked around the table and grabbed the convict by the collar forcing him against the wall. Harry was a good decade younger than Jocelyn and it showed when the older man's reactions were slower.

"You wanted her to marry Davidson, despite the decades age gap. You sick scumbag. Ros North" He smiled coldly as Jocelyn blanched at the use of Ros' married name. "is twice the person you could ever be. Leave her alone. Now, you call Davidson off. Call off the goons before it is too late." He held Jocelyn to the wall as the young guard remained impassive in the corner.

"Get your hands off me" Jocelyn sounded less than convincing.

"Not pleasant is it? Being frightened for your life. Call it off Myers." Harry glared as he dropped him back on his feet. Jocelyn breathed heavily as he caught his breath.

"You don't know anything" Jocelyn coughed.

"This ends now Jocelyn. Whatever it is you are planning Section D will stop it and we'll stop you" He walked towards the door as the guard opened it.

"Divine Earth are back Harry. Nightingale will return you can't keep winning Harry" Harry turned to Jocelyn as the door opened.

"Keep away from Ros, keep away from Section D and call off the goons. We will find them we will stop them. Scum may rise to the surface but it wont win" He signalled for the guard to close the door as Jocelyn was left in the Interview Room alone.

**authors note. What does Lucas' exwife have to do with anything? Will Harry be safe now or has he put himself in the firing line? What will Emma say when she sees Zoe's bruises. What will Catherine and Graham do next? More soon. Reviews really make the writing better and faster. Thanks**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer still not mine**

**Night Before the Morning After.**

Harry left the prison wondering how men like Jocelyn Myers could exist in a sane world. Crossing the car park he couldn't help but smile as he saw Ruth leaning against his car. She was staring in to space, no doubt worrying about something. He watched as she realised he was watching her and smiled.

"Hello"

"How did it go? Are you ok?" Ruth turned and walked alongside him. Harry took her hand in his as they walked the short distance to his car. Harry was pleased he had decided not to have his driver take him to the prison.

"The man is a psychopath. We're going to have to keep an eye on Ros for a little while. I really don't know how things have gone. I think I got my point across" He squeezed Ruth's hand as they walked. She stopped forcing Harry to do the same.

"Ruth?"

"Are you alright Harry?" He sighed. He really didn't know how he felt.

"Yes" He sighed as Ruth held his gaze. She wasn't sure whether to believe him but decided to let it go for the moment.

"Zaf called. Zoe is going to be ok. He's taken her home. Adam has finished for the night too. Lucas and Ros have arrested his ex wife" Ruth knew Harry would react badly to the news. He narrowed his eyes.

"Elisabeta North?" Harry was incredulous "Why?"

"She pulled a gun on Ros and Lucas in the middle of the street. Says Davidson sent her" Ruth sighed as Harry looked down the street.

"Where are they now?" Harry was worried about his two senior officers

"Home. I know Lucas was keen to get away from the Grid tonight. So I imagine they have gone home" Ruth was worried about Harry. He sighed heavily before reaching up and touching Ruth's face, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. She smiled slightly as her mobile began to bleep. She looked away hurriedly as she pulled the small phone from her jacket pocket.

"Hello" She paused as she closed her eyes.

"Graham, slow down. Yes, don't worry. We're on our way" She replaced the phone as Harry dreaded what his son had said to her.

"Ruth?" He waited as Ruth sighed.

"Let's go home Harry. Catherine isn't well. Graham said she's going cold turkey. The hospital did warn us that she would eventually" Ruth bit her bottom lip as Harry closed his eyes for a moment. She knew he blamed himself for his children's problems, even though she saw no reason why he should.

"Right" He walked to the car as Ruth said a silent prayer that there would be no red flash calls while they were with Catherine.

Lucas lay in bed staring at the ceiling. They had been home for almost an hour and Amy was already sound asleep. He couldn't help but think about how different his life was now compared to when he had married Elisabeta. Tom had been his best friend in those days, but had eventually sold him out. All the time he was in Russia he never dreamed of having the type of life he had now, a family man with a job he loved. It hadn't seemed possible when he was being 'questioned' by Arkady and the various others that were there. He smiled slightly as Ros turned in the bed next to him.

"Lucas?" She propped her head on one hand as he turned to face her.

"Yeah"

"Tomorrow I think Adam and I should talk to her" He knew exactly who she was referring to. "She knows you too well; she'll be able to get under your skin." She held his gaze as Lucas thought about it.

"Like when Harry had interviewed Jane? Ros don't worry about it" He smiled slightly.

"Lucas, I'm taking either Adam or Zaf with me. That's final" She slumped on the edge of the bed, feeling sick at the thought her father hadn't listened to her. He hadn't called off the goons. He still wanted her dead. Davidson was still out there. The man had made her skin crawl for the last thirty years, despite being in his 60s now the mere thought of him made her feel nauseas.

"Ros" He saw her face harden as she thought about his ex wife. She suddenly knew how Ruth had felt when Harry's ex wife had emerged. She held Lucas' gaze as he seemed to read her mind. She waited for whatever it was he was about to say when his lips covered hers. Suddenly there was no more need for words.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Adam sat in the bar. He had run into Graham when he had gone to get a takeaway for him, Carrie and Wes. The younger man had instantly recognised the spook and was now sat opposite him in the pub, a glass of lemonade in front of him as Adam drank his pint.

"Graham, what's happened mate? You not back in with all that crap are you?" Adam watched as Graham glared.

"No, for once it isn't me" He hated the way everyone expected him to be the one who messed up. "I just needed to get away from Dad and the others. Been staying there but don't think I will be much longer" He glared at his glass as Adam waited for an explanation.

"Right, what's he done? Harry must have said or done something to get you in this state" Adam laughed; the Pearce temper was legendary and seemed to have been passed on to both the children. Graham sighed as he realised Adam was not giving up on this.

"I just got myself sorted out. I'm clean. I still go to the AA meetings Ruth got me in to but I'm clean and sober for the first time since I was 15. Even got myself on a course, I'm going to do a degree. Working too. And then Catherine gets in trouble. Did you know my sister is pregnant?" Adam's eyes nearly fell out of his head as Graham sipped his pop.

"Catherine? No I didn't. I take it your Dad isn't happy"

"No, not when she got knocked up by a drug dealer that likes to use her as a punch bag and got her bloody using. Adam I dunno what to do anymore" He sighed. It was the first time he realised how worried he was about his older sister.

"What's his name? The boyfriend" Adam glared. He liked Graham and Harry was Wes' godfather. He didn't like what he was hearing.

"Ryan Harries. Why?" Graham suddenly realised he shouldn't have confided in the spook.

"Just wondering"

"Yeah, like Dad just works in an office. Look, you know he worries about you lot too yeah? When you went off and we all thought you were dead, when Ros was in that bomb I really thought he'd start on the drink then. Section D is family as far as he's concerned. So don't do anything stupid just because I had a bit of a moan. Ok" He held Adam's gaze in the same way his father did after an operation had gone a little pear shaped.

"Ok" Adam drank the remains of his drink before standing up. "I better get back to Wes and Carrie. Look don't worry." He clapped the younger man on the shoulder and left the pub knowing he had to help his friend whether Graham wanted him to or not. He pulled out his mobile as he walked back towards the Chinese takeaway.

"Tariq, I want you to get some information for me." He opened the door to the takeaway as he heard Tariq sigh.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Emma was exited to be going home. She had a couple of paintings she had done with Carrie that she wanted to show her mum and Zaf. She laughed as Zaf opened the car door for her, babbling about her day as she simultaneously dropped her bag on the back seat and waved to Carrie without dropping the pieces of paint soaked paper she was carrying. It was when she saw Zoe covered in bruises and with a bandage over her head that she went quiet.

"Hello Emms" Zoe smiled as Emma glared at Zaf.

"You got hurt" She stated as Zaf had a funny feeling he was being blamed for it. He felt awful and blamed himself too.

"Yes" Zoe sighed "I was in work sweetheart and I fell on some steps. I'm fine. Zaf looked after me" Emma nodded slowly, not believing what she had heard. Zaf drove on in silence feeling as if his guts had been ripped out. Emma thought he had hit Zoe and he didn't think there was anything he could say to make her see otherwise. The second he had parked the car Emma was out, despite not being allowed to run from the car on the busy main road. She was as quiet as when Zaf had first met the little girl in Chile. At five years old she had heard the excuse Zoe had come out with for her injuries a million times. She didn't know anyone else who had a mum that fell over so often. Zoe sighed as she opened the front door. Zaf hesitated as Zoe ushered him over the threshold.

"Zoe" he almost whispered

"No Zaf, she has to learn not all men are like her father. Oh and just so you know. I love you too" She smiled as Zaf's jaw dropped open. "Talk to her, that's something, Will never did." He nodded as he saw Emma sit at the table in the kitchen.

"Ok, here goes" He hated to admit it but he was more scared of explaining things to the five year old daughter of his girlfriend than he ever had been talking down an armed gunman.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Malcolm stood in front of the kettle in his small kitchen. He was glad to be home, Sarah had offered to cook but he was just glad she was there. He smiled as he made the coffee, wondering if he should ask Ruth how she had managed to track down the former technical officer for Section K. He realised he didn't really care, he was just happy she was there.

"Penny for them?" Sarah smiled as she appeared in the kitchen. He had been a while making the coffee. Malcolm smiled.

"Sarah" He wrapped his arms around her waist as hers made their way around his neck.

"Malcolm, what is wrong?" She frowned as he rested his forehead on hers and sighed.

"Nothing is wrong. Everything is actually right. I was just thinking about asking you something" He waited as she pulled away from him.

"What?" The look in his eyes had her rooted to the spot.

"I was wondering, well I was hoping that." He sighed as he collected his thoughts. Sarah bit her lip as her red hair fell in to her face.

"Spit it out Malcolm" She ran a hand along his face, coffee long forgotten.

"Well, you see" He sighed. "What I mean to say is, well to ask really. Would you do me the honour of being my wife?" He held his breath as he saw the smile creep across her face as she blushed.

"Yes" She almost whispered as Malcolm pulled her in to his arms "Yes, I'll marry you" She whispered against his lips so that he felt as well as heard her reply.

xxxxxxxxxxx

Davidson sat outside a café in the August sunshine thinking about the next stage of his plan. Elisabeta's arrest was just a minor setback. The trouble Section D were finding themselves in as Divine Earth began to mimic Nightingale was proving effective. He smiled as the young waitress brought him his coffee. The news that Harry had been to see Jocelyn Myers only made him think the next stage of the plan was going to rock Section D to it's core.

**author's note. More soon, please let me know what you think. Can Zaf talk Emma around? What will Adam do? **


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer - not mine

Morning Meeting

Harry woke with a start, it had been an awful night and he didn't blame Graham for escaping once he and Ruth had got home. He sighed heavily as he stretched, momentarily panicking when he realised Ruth was no where to be seen. He rolled on to his side as he stared at the empty space where Ruth should have been. He didn't like waking up alone. He got out of bed and grabbed his dressing gown thinking about how he would deal with the aftermath of Elisabeta's arrest. Before he knew where his feet were taking him he had reached the spare room, pushing the door open gingerly he couldn't help but smile as he saw Catherine fast asleep as Ruth sat at the end of her bed propped on a pillow. Scarlett was curled at Ruth's feet. She stirred as she saw Harry in the doorway.

"Morning" She whispered as she got up and walked towards him.

"Have you been here all night?" He smiled as she straightened up and winced. Scarlet woke and ran down the stairs in search of breakfast.

"Yes, I heard her crying after we went to bed. He really is a nasty piece of work. The things he said Harry, the things he called her" She shook her head as she looked at his chest. She smiled as Harry wrapped his arms around her.

"Jane never sat up all night with her when she was little; we used to take it in turns when I was around." Harry kissed the top of her head as Ruth buried her head in his chest.

"She just needed to have someone with her last night. We talked. That's all. She didn't really sleep so let's get out of here and not wake her up now. Poor girl needs all the sleep she can get" Ruth mumbled in to his dressing gown. Harry hugged her a little tighter as he kissed her hair.

"Um" Harry pulled back a little as Ruth tried and failed to step out of his arms. "What did I do to deserve you?" She smiled before kissing him briefly on the lips before leading him out of the room.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Ros walked on to the Grid closely followed by Lucas. Tariq looked up briefly as she passed and decided to leave them to it. He could see the Section Head was tense and deciding discretion was the better part of valour he made his way to the kitchenette.

"Wait a minute" Ros turned just as Tariq reached the kitchenette door. He froze as she went to walk towards him.

"Yeah" He glanced towards Lucas who just shrugged.

"Where is everyone? You are never the first here. Where are Harry and Ruth?" She watched as Tariq shrugged.

"I dunno. Ruth and Harry are always the first here but the place was empty when I got here. Malcolm called. He's at home, says he has some news for us and will be in later" Ros narrowed her eyes; she silently hoped whatever news Malcolm had it was good news. The team needed something other than the dramas they were currently involved in.

"Harry's not here? You mean he actually left for the night?" Lucas laughed slightly as Ros rolled her eyes. Neither man had noticed Harry appear behind them.

"It has been known. Now that we have established I leave the Grid occasionally can we get on? Briefing room in ten minutes" Harry walked towards his office as Ruth just raised her eyebrows before taking her seat at the computer. She was exhausted after looking after Catherine. Ros smiled briefly at the obvious discomfort both men had felt at being caught out by Harry before walking across to her own desk.

"Actually where are the others?" Ruth looked around the mostly empty Grid.

"Adam called, said he had a bit of business to attend to. Didn't say what. Zoe and Zaf are visiting an asset." Tariq explained. Glad that it was Ruth asking him the questions rather than Ros.

"Get hold of them. I want them all here for the briefing" Ros sighed. "Especially Adam. Why is he going off on his own?" She logged on to her computer. She didn't like anyone going off on their own when they seemed to have a psychopath chasing them.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Adam waited across the road from the nightclub. It had been officially closed for the last few hours but he knew this was where Harries sold his drugs. He watched as Ryan Harries stepped out of the closed nightclub and shook the bouncer's hand. The drug dealer still had the black eye Graham had caused but apart from that looked like he didn't have a care in the world. Adam pulled his mobile out of his jacket pocket, ignored the text message from Tariq and called a familiar number.

"Yes, police. I have the whereabouts of a known drug dealer. No I won't give my name but you can find him at Diamonds Nightclub." He paused.

"Ryan Harries. Yeah, I thought you knew the name. Selling crap at the nightclub." He hung up and walked away, hoping a visit from the police may be enough. If not it was on to plan B. But first he had to put in an appearance at the Grid. He walked back to the car trying to think up a reasonable excuse for being late to the morning meeting. It was going to be a long day.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry had taken his seat at the head of the table as the rest of the spooks began making their way in to the room. He looked up to see Tariq and Zaf walk in, deep in conversation. He couldn't make out exactly what was being said but he didn't like the way Zaf looked slightly worried when Adam's name had been mentioned. He also noticed how tired Ruth looked, and felt slightly guilty.

"Right. Divine Earth" Harry started.

"Not possible" Ros took her seat. She didn't want to be at the meeting. She desperately wanted to be in the interview room talking to Elisabeta. Lucas glanced at her; he could see how tense she was. He didn't know why but he felt responsible. Both spooks looked up as Zoe walked in, the bruise on her forehead looked worse than the day before, with the purple marks radiating down to her eye. Lucas and Harry both winced when they saw her.

"Divine Earth? Wasn't that the group that nearly killed Adam and Ros? The Thames Barrier thing?" Zoe looked around as Ros nodded.

"One of the many" Ros glared. Lucas narrowed his eyes. He knew this was a conversation they would be having later. It seemed his wife was good at her job; she seemed to have made enough enemies over the years.

"I thought we'd heard the end of them" She turned to Harry.

"Yes, so did I. But I spoke to someone in the week that warned me they may be back. I don't think it is a possibility. Those that were not killed are still in prison. I think it is just a diversionary tactic, but I'd like to be certain" He looked along the table. "Tariq can you and Malcolm look in to that for me?"

"Yes Harry" Tariq tapped his pen on the desk.

"Why now? If Nightingale are being used as a cover why would Divine Earth be the culprit?" Lucas wondered out loud as Ruth shrugged.

"They wouldn't. I'm sure of it" Ros sighed. "Look those involved in Nightingale are either dead or in prison. I think Davidson and Elisabeta are working alone. I really don't think anyone else is involved" She watched as Harry nodded. He felt the same, but it seemed so much easier if they had been a group rather than a single person. Adam sheepishly opened the door as Harry glared.

"How nice of you to join up Mr Carter" He narrowed his eyes as Adam shrugged. He knew his charm smile wouldn't get him out of trouble with Harry. Instead he sat in his chair next to Zaf and smiled at Ruth. She merely rolled her eyes, too tired to wonder exactly why Adam was late.

"It isn't Nightingale and it isn't Divine Earth" Adam stated.

"Oh and you know this because?" Ros turned her glare on him.

"Divine Earth are extinct. Nightingale were destroyed in the UK. Think about it, Linnerman is dead, Mace is dead, Lawrence is in America and half the people in the organisation are either dead or in prison. Nah, no way I'm not buying it. Someone wants us to think that its them." Harry smiled slightly.

"So we have learnt precisely nothing" Harry stood frustrated.

"Right, if we're finished I'm going to interview Elisabeta" Ros pushed her chair away from the table as Harry raised a hand to stop her.

"No, we're off to Whitehall. Adam you and Zaf interview the woman. Lucas I want you and Zoe to find Davidson. I'm sick of this. Ruth any and all information on that man is going to be vital" He watched as Ros shot him a death glare. The assorted spooks left to go about their allotted tasks as Ros continued to glare at the table.

"Harry" She watched as he stood and walked to the door.

"No Ros. You are not going to interview Lucas' ex wife. If anything she is just a pawn in whatever this is. We have had one explosion already, there will be others unless we find these people" She glared at him.

"We're not due at Whitehall today" She watched as Harry nodded slowly

"Not officially no. But as Adam and yourself said people involved in Nightingale are either dead or missing. I want that lot out there to think we have a routine meeting at Whitehall because I think someone is feeding information to Davidson and your father" He watched as Ros continued to stare at the table. Harry had a feeling she'd have burnt holes in the wood with the look she was wearing if it was possible.

"You spoke to my father" It was more an accusation than a statement. He had known Ros would be angry. Murderous was a surprise.

"Yes"

"So did I"

"I guessed as much. Someone is feeding him information Ros. Someone"

"IT IS NOT ME" She raised her voice as Tariq and Zaf looked up from the outer office. "I know what I was in the past Harry but I have never sold this place out to my father. The man ordered me to be killed for crying out loud" She tried and failed to control her breathing as Harry rested a hand on her forearm.

"Ros, I know it isn't you. I know that." She looked up and held his gaze. Suddenly it was very important that Harry believed her.

"Who do you think it is?" Ros lowered her voice.

"Nicholas Blake"

**authors note So where has Nick Blake been since we last saw him? Is Harry right to be suspicious? Is anyone still reading this? More action in the next chap.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer still not mine**

**Really?**

Nicholas Blake walked along the riverside knowing Ros and Harry wanted to talk to him. He decided to take his time; Harry had been the only Section Head he had known that hadn't been intimidated by the office of Home Secretary. He approached them wondering if Harry knew just how much he intimated those that held the office. He decided Harry probably did know and was able to use it to his advantage. He smiled to himself as he approached Harry.

Ros looked up as Nicholas got nearer, there was something in the way Harry suggested he was the mole that just didn't sit right with her. She had never been overly fond of the previous Home Secretary but had to admit he was a lot easier to deal with than the woman who currently held the office. Harry sighed as if sensing Ros' unease. She still couldn't see why Harry suspected the former politician.

"I hope we are wrong" He muttered as Ros shot him a look

"We? Harry" He smiled ruefully as he saw the look she shot him. Right now Ros Myers made a piranha fish look friendly. The former Home Secretary got nearer to them and looked out over the water.

"Ros, Harry. How lovely to see you" He sat down as Ros remained silent. The shoppers and tourists continued to mill around them as Harry decided he was not going to make this meeting any easier than it already was. Ros watched a young woman struggling with a buggy a few feet away from them and immediately sympathised. Nicholas turned in his seat so he was looking directly at Harry.

"I believe you wanted to see me?"

"Yes. We need some information and I think it would be best coming from you" Harry remained deliberately cryptic.

"What do you need to know?" Nicholas narrowed his eyes as he noticed the wedding ring on Ros' finger. _So that ship has sailed _he thought to himself. Ros held his gaze with all the warmth a boar constrictor may have for the rabbit it was about to devour. Nicholas swallowed hard.

"I believe you know my father" Ros started.

"Only by reputation. As you know Ros everyone knew him from his time at the British Embassy in Russia. And all the trouble afterwards. I never actually met him." He smiled slightly as Ros remained deadpan. Her expression totally unreadable, Nicholas could see why she was Harry's second in command. Harry leant forward in his chair, keen not to be over heard by those around them.

"Yes, we all know of his reputation. Look I know you know a man called Alexander Davidson. You were seen talking to him on CCTV. The two of you met on July 30th in Covent Garden. I want you to arrange a meeting with him. I'll be there." He watched as Nicholas thought about it.

"He is a business associate" Nicholas was not giving anything away. The consummate politician till the end.

"We know. Look no one is suggesting you are involved in anything illegal. After all the trouble when you left office, surely you can see what negative publicity can do to you? He is more than merely a business man. We have evidence to suggest he is involved in some very nasty activity that breaches a number of sections of the anti terrorism legislation. People have died and will continue to die if we don't get to speak to him" Harry held his gaze.

"What is it to do with Myers?"

"That remains to be seen" Harry could be as vague as any politician.

"What is in it for me?" Harry narrowed his eyes as Nicholas asked.

"A chance Nicholas" Ros interjected "To prove all those who said you were dealing with mafia and other well known criminals that they were wrong. Help us and we may be able to help you. The former Home Secretary being outed as a sleeper agent for MI 5 maybe the little bit of good publicity you need" She was dangling just enough bait to hook him. He paused while he considered her words.

"I'll be in touch" He stood and shook Harry's hand before turning to Ros and smiling. He walked off as Harry shook his head.

"You really think he is the one? The man that is feeding information back to my father?" Ros just didn't see it. Harry had said that he was the one honest politician. She didn't see how he changed his opinion so readily.

"No, to be honest Ros I don't know. I just think he is the one that will lead us to Davidson. He knew more about Basel than he let on and I am sure he knows more about this. Remember he hasn't always been our friend" Ros nodded as they left the pavement café and headed back to Thames House deep in conversation.

Xxxxxxxxx

Ruth was tired; she hadn't gone without sleep for such a long time that her body wasn't use to it. Deciding that coffee was the only way she was going to survive the day she made her way towards the kitchen just in time to see Malcolm arrive. He walked straight past his work station and straight to the kitchen.

"Coffee?" Ruth waved her mug as Malcolm wrinkled his nose.

"Tea please" Ruth couldn't help but smile.

"You're late"

"I'm semi retired" Malcolm smiled back as the kettle boiled.

"I'm also engaged" He watched as a very tired Ruth absorbed the news.

"She said yes?" Ruth hugged him. "Congratulations!" Ruth was beaming as Malcolm looked slightly embarrassed. The sounds of the Pod doors whooshing open distracted them as Ruth stepped back, still smiling as Zoe and Zaf emerged.

"Hey hey. What would Harry say if he saw you two canoodling?" Zaf teased as Ruth blushed.

"What did the asset say?" Ruth was desperate to change the subject.

"Davidson has been in Joss Myers pocket for the last thirty years or so. Slimy little creep apparently" Zoe folded her arms across her chest "Initially worked with the Foreign Office and was a high flyer there in the late 1970s and 1980s. Never married, always told his friends he was waiting for someone. No kids. He spent four years in prison due to his arrest relating to a coup attempt. Apparently he got off lightly, got a job with Linnerman PLC when he was released" She leant back on Ruth's desk as the Intel Analyst stifled a yawn.

"Where is he now?" Malcolm stated.

"Dunno" Tariq joined the conversation. He looked dejected; one can of Red Bull on his desk have been enough to get the youngest of the team as the case seemed to be dogged with more questions than answers.

"Then I suggest we find him" Malcolm turned back to his computer station, still smiling to himself as he thought of Sarah and how his life had changed since the last time they had encountered the Linnerman empire.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Why do you think Blake can lead us to Davidson?" Ros was walking alongside Harry in to Thames House. Her heels clipped loudly on the tiled floor as Stan looked up and waved. Harry nodded to the security guard as he considered Ros' question.

"He didn't say he couldn't." Harry knew it was a long shot. "I'll have Blake watched. If he isn't the traitor then he is certainly in a position to tell us who is. He didn't actually tell us anything at the meeting" He continued walking towards the Pods as Ros nodded in agreement.

"Yes. But then how long was he a politician? I thought you trusted him" Ros glanced sideways at Harry.

"We all make mistakes Ros. One thing we never found out was why he was removed from office. We know Andrew Lawrence was catapulted from the back benches but we don't know why. We've only ever had suspicions before" He reached the Pods to hear raised voices and chaos emanating from inside the Grid. Sighing heavily he waited for the doors to open for him and Ros.

"Harry!" Tariq yelled across the room. Zaf could be seen pulling his jacket on as Zoe leant across Ruth's desk. Ruth was tapping away furiously as Malcolm pulled up CCTV. Even Adam seemed to be irate as he yelled down the phone. Lucas was taking pieces of paper from Malcolm as he fixed his ear piece in.

"Oh my God" Ruth sighed as she turned and looked at her husband. She was even paler than usual.

"What is going on?" Ros narrowed her eyes. She was used to the controlled chaos of the Grid not the seemingly panicked state of her friends and colleagues. It was Lucas that finally looked her in the eye.

"Harry, Ros" He started as Ros began to feel decidedly uneasy. "There's been an explosion at the prison. We don't know if it is a bomb yet but" He looked away.

"Where my father is held? Lucas" She held his gaze as he nodded. Harry swore under his breath.

"Yes" Ruth answered as she crossed the room to them. "Yes it is. We only got word five minutes ago. Three men are unaccounted for. They are believed to have escaped when the explosion happened. It wasn't big enough to do any serious structural damage. Ros, the three men that have escaped" Ruth glanced at Lucas who was staring at Ros. "They include your father" Ros nodded once as Harry swore loudly before punching the desk next to him.

"Right" Ros answered "I'm dead"

**authors note. Please let me know what you think. Is Ros right to be scared? Will Catherine be ok? What will happen at the meeting? More soon. Reviews=quicker updates! Promise lots of drama next time, this is only a filler.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer not mine**

The Fallout

Harry tried to control his temper as he took in what Lucas and Ruth were telling him. He didn't need this now. He watched as the colour seemed to drain from Ros' already pale face. Hasn't she been through enough? He thought as Ruth frowned at the pair of them.

"Adam, Zaf get to the prison. I want details on all three escapees. Malcolm CCTV footage for the area around the prison" Ros had snapped back in to work mode faster than Harry had. Both field officers were out of the Pods before Harry could turn round. Adam needed to be out in the field, keeping him on the Grid was slowly suffocating him.

"Ruth, can you look through the records of people my father may have associated with in prison? See who his visitors were. Oh and do the same for my idiot brother. See if anyone of concern pops up" She frowned as she suddenly realised something. Ruth nodded and walked to her work station.

"Zoe?"

"Yes boss?" Zoe replaced the phone she had been speaking on. Harry had to admit that she was beginning to even talk like Zaf. They were spending a lot of time together. Ros stepped away from the group.

"The kids. Check on Carrie, make sure Amy, Emma and Wes are safe" She watched as Zoe nodded. She found it hard to imagine that Ros' father would deliberately harm his grand child. But then she thought it hard to fathom how he would send a hit man after Ros. Zoe nodded.

"Already done. Carrie says everything is fine. Her brother Jonathon is there with her, so she's not alone. I also asked the police to send a patrol car around every so often. She has her panic alarm. They are fine" She smiled slightly. Ros looked relieved for a moment before turning back to Zoe.

"Good. In that case look in to the other two men that escaped." She walked across to her desk and retrieved a few things from the top drawer. Lucas looked concerned as he watched her retrieve her mobile phone.

"Ros" He started. He wasn't sure what to say.

"There are a few contacts that might be able to help. My father had some friends in very low places Lucas. He may be trying to get to one of them. I need to speak to one of them, see what he is planning" She held his gaze, aware that he was worried about her.

"I'm coming with you" He watched as she nodded once. There was no way Lucas would be deterred.

"This isn't like with you and Oleg. My father won't just stop at me. There has already been an explosion. I know him Lucas. He wants something on the outside. I think he's going to restart his organisation again. Killing me just means it will get rid of another obstacle for him" She looked away as Harry reached the couple.

"Ros, we have to be at Whitehall. Lucas can see your asset" He walked off giving Ros no choice but to follow him. Lucas remained quiet. He still didn't like what he had heard but knew it was a possibility.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Adam walked along the street towards the prison with Zaf at his side. He wasn't happy. The more he thought about what was going on the more he realised just how badly things were going. Zaf was quiet next to him, knowing his friend would need time to think before they got to the prison. After a few minutes Zaf could stand the silence no longer.

"Emma thought I hit Zoe" He stated. "When we picked her up after Zoe went to A&E. Should have seen the way she looked at me" He shook his head as Adam frowned.

"Oh mate. What that kid has seen, it is understandable I suppose." Adam had met the little girl in Chile when he had been trying to track Zaf down. She had been afraid of him then too and was still a little wary around adults she didn't know.

"Yeah. Anyway why were you late this morning? I thought Harry was going to have a heart attack" Zaf grinned as Adam raised his eyebrows and laughed.

"I was trying to stop that happening believe me or not. Look, don't say anything to him but its not just Ros having family problems. I bumped in to Graham last night" He watched as Zaf sighed.

"What's he done now? Isn't it about time he grew up?" Zaf asked.

"Yeah, but it isn't him. Catherine is in trouble. Her boyfriend is Ryan Harries. You know the druggie we had our eye on when we thought Shining Dawn were up to their old tricks? Well he's got Catherine hooked on heroin and she's pregnant" Adam sighed. He knew what he would want to do if it was Wes in trouble.

"Oh God" Zaf glared. It explained why Ruth had been looking so tired and why Harry seemed worse tempered than usual.

"Yeah he's quite handy with his fists too. That's why Graham ended up in our cells. He found out Harries was selling gear to Catherine and went nuts" Adam watched as Zaf nodded. "I called the police so hopefully they will be dealing with him for a while"

"Yeah, and release him in 24 hours pending further investigations. Look lets get this done and pay our druggie thug a visit." Zaf knew he would want to kill Harries if it was Emma in Catherine's position. He could only imagine what Harry and Ruth must be feeling.

"I was hoping you'd say that" Adam grinned as he walked through the prison gates.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What does she want to see us for now?" Ros sat in the back of the car with Harry as she watched the London traffic pass them by. Harry's driver Ian remained silent in the front of the car.

"I assume it is about the explosion at the prison. We have to find out how they were able to blow the place up" Harry was still annoyed. Ros continued to glare out of the window.

"I don't think he is solely out to kill me. I think it's a distraction technique. I appreciate everyone trying to help but Harry it is distracting us from the bigger picture. He escaped for a reason" She watched as Harry nodded. He knew his own family were not a template for domestic bliss but he couldn't imagine what it would do to someone to know that their parent had set out to kill them.

"Have you spoken to her?" Harry opened the car door as Ian killed the engine. Ros raised her eyebrows.

"The Home Secretary? No we just got here" Ros deliberately deflected the question.

"Your mother" Harry clarified as Ros joined him in the entrance to Whitehall. They both watched Ian drive away.

"I thought I'd leave that pleasure as long as possible" She stepped through the doorway as Harry shook his head.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruth had been through all the records for Jocelyn Myers time in prison. It had been very boring reading. He had received three visitors in the first few months. His wife, Philip and Sally. Ros had been nowhere near. It wasn't until the time when Nightingale that he seemed to get more visitors. She frowned as Malcolm approached her.

"This isn't right. This cant be right" Ruth muttered to herself as she pulled up the visitors log for the October before the hotel bomb.

"Ruth?" Malcolm asked. He could see she was getting in a state over something. He leant on her desk as she tapped more keys on the computer in front of her.

"Look at this Malcolm" She turned the screen so she could see. "Tell me that is not right."

"Oh dear" Malcolm sighed as Tariq joined them.

"No way" He opened another can of pop as he stared at the screen. "That's! That's!" He stammered.

"Nicholas Blake, visiting Jocelyn Myers in prison two weeks ago. He also saw him before the hotel bomb" Ruth watched as Malcolm shook his head.

"Harry is arranging to meet Davidson through him" Malcolm muttered as Ruth nodded.

"Nicholas Blake the former UK Home Secretary met a known terrorist in prison? That's insane" Tariq couldn't quite get his head around the information. Ruth nodded once more as Lucas returned from the kitchenette.

"Get hold of Harry and Ros" He stated calmly as he walked towards the Pods. "They cannot meet Blake or Davidson until we know why Blake was buddying up to him" Ruth nodded again in shock as she reached for her phone.

"Where are you going?" Tariq asked

"We, get your coat" Lucas stated.

"Where are you going?" Ruth called across the Grid. She was terrified of the way things were going.

"To meet the mother in law" Lucas deadpanned as he and Tariq left the Pods.

**authors note. What was Nick Blake up to? Where is Ros' father? More soon. Please review.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer not mine**

**A Family Affair**

Lucas walked the polished floors with Tariq at his side. He didn't really think where he was headed when he had acquired the address for his mother in law. He knew it was a home for the elderly but he really didn't process what that may mean. Tariq was silent at his side until they reached the reception area. A young woman no older than Tariq was sat at the desk tapping away at the computer. Tariq looked sideways at Lucas as he realised he had been brought along for morale support as much as any other reason.

"Hello, we're here to see Mrs Myers" Lucas smiled. The young woman looked up.

"Oh" She held his gaze. "Mrs Myers doesn't normally have visitors that aren't family. I mean it is usually just her two children, Philip and Sally." Lucas silently seethed. Ros had been removed from the family's life almost completely. He was angry that they could forget her so easily.

"I'm her son in law" Lucas replied as the young woman whose name tag declared she was Lucy stood.

"Oh, well in that case. You'll find her in the lounge. Second on your left"

"Thank you" Tariq smiled as he walked behind a now fairly irate Lucas. Tariq understood why he was so protective of Ros but he hadn't realised the significance of Ros not being mentioned by the receptionist or that the woman hadn't declared that only two of the three children visited. He paused as Lucas reached the end of the corridor.

"Look, I got an idea. We might me able to get some info off Lucy" Tariq smiled and waggled his eyebrows as Lucas shook his head. He had suspected Tariq would think of something and wasn't surprised when he pulled a micro memory stick out of his back pocket. "If I could get chatting to her I may be able to download a lot of information on the memory stick without her really noticing" He smiled as Lucas nodded.

"Oh great, leave the really dangerous stuff to me then" Lucas smiled as the young man wandered off in search of Lucy.

Ruth was worried. She didn't want to think why Nicholas Blake had been to see Jocelyn Myers so many times. She just knew that no good could possibly have come of it. She tapped a few keys on the computer as Malcolm sat next to her.

"Harry always said he could trust him" Ruth sighed.

"Did he tell you what happened when you were away?" Malcolm chose his words carefully. He didn't know what Ruth had been told and what she had found out on her own. Ruth narrowed her eyes.

"Go on" Ruth turned away from the screen, aware they were the only two people left on the Grid.

"I've spoken out of turn" He went to stand as Ruth placed a hand on his arm to stop him.

"Maybe but you have spoken. Go on Malcolm. Tell me what I missed" She held his gaze and he knew she would be a first class interrogator just like Adam or Ros. There was something about the way she looked at him that meant he could never withhold information.

"After you left. Well, a little while after you left. Harry was shot. You know about that. What you may be surprised to hear is that he walked directly into the firing line"

Ruth smiled and shook her head sadly. "That doesn't surprise me at all. I was more surprised that he was wearing a vest" She smiled encouragingly.

"Yes, well at my insistence. I wasn't about to let my friend commit suicide, not after loosing you and Colin so close together" He looked at his hands as Ruth covered one with her own. He took a deep breath before continuing.

"Suicide?" Ruth spoke quietly.

"Yes, well we knew there was trouble. We knew Nicholas Blake had ordered that we were all removed. Harry put himself in the firing line so none of us would be hurt" He squeezed Ruth's hand "He's a good man. When he says he trusts Blake it is because he knows what he is capable of. He knew then and he knows now how dangerous the man really is"

"Oh my God. Nicholas Blake wanted all of Section D killed. What if that is why he is meeting Myers? What if it is Blake that helped Myers escape? Why he agreed to set up a meet for Harry and Davidson? Lull us in to a false sense of security and then kill us all. It's been tried before. It wasn't that long ago Dolby wanted Harry dead, sent a hit man after Lucas and Ros." She held Malcolm's gaze, breathing heavily as she spoke. "I have to get hold of Harry" Malcolm nodded as she reached for the phone.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lucas walked along the corridor to the small lounge where Mrs Myers could be seen sat in a high backed chair. He smiled, the woman looked like an older version of Ros. Thin but not frail with white blonde hair cropped short. She stared in to space but possessed the same impenetrable glare his wife had. He walked across the room and sat on the small chair next to her as Loose Women began on the TV. He checked his watch, not realising it was already lunchtime.

"Hello" He started as the older woman looked at him. Lucas estimated the woman was in her mid seventies.

"Hello" She smiled before returning to the television.

"My name is Lucas. I know Ros" He started.

"That's my little girl, Rosalind" The woman beamed as Lucas smiled slightly "I've got two little girls and a boy. Good children. They listen to their father" She nodded.

"That's good" Lucas was beginning to see that the woman would be of little use in his investigation. He smiled slightly. She turned back to him.

"Have you got any children?"

"Yes" Lucas smiled "A little girl, Amy"

The old woman smiled as Lucas answered her. She brought a hand to her mouth as she seemed lost in thought. The television had switched to adverts as the carer came around and offered the residents tea.

"A little girl, how lovely. You must bring her with you next time you come. Sally and Rosalind can make friends with her. They could play in the garden" She smiled as Lucas nodded. He could see the woman in front of him was suffering some form of dementia, he wasn't a doctor but it was easy to see she was unaware of what was happening around her. He decided it was best to leave her to her thoughts rather than confuse her further. Instead he agreed that he would return with his daughter, but knew he never would. Instead he walked to the door suddenly feeling sad beyond belief that the woman he had been speaking to would never be able to realise she had a granddaughter. Lucas was shaken from his thoughts as he bumped in to a woman entering the lounge.

"Sorry" He smiled as the thin blonde stumbled backwards.

"No problem" She smiled before ignoring him "Hello Mum, it's me Sally" Lucas was immediately back in the room.

"Sally? Sally Myers"

"Sally Roberts now but why do you ask?" The petite blonde in front of him was smaller than Ros and slightly larger. He guessed she was a little older than his wife.

"I think we should have a talk" Sally narrowed her eyes as he realised she had no idea who he was. "My name is Lucas North. I married your sister"

"I think you are mistaken. I don't have a sister. Not anymore" Sally spat before turning on her heels. Lucas wanted to scream.

"No mistake" He took her by the elbow and forced her to face him "Your father and brother have both tried to kill her. Daddy dearest has escaped from prison. She's in danger and I need to know how to stop him. She always said she protected you. Looked after you, now its time to repay that" Lucas kept his voice low.

"I do not know what you mean" Sally was unnervingly similar to Ros when she was angry.

"Does the name Alexander Davidson mean anything to you?" He held her gaze as he saw recognition flash across her face.

"You won't stop my father. No one ever has. If you want to keep Ros safe keep her away from Davidson and my father. He always said he would find her. Please Lucas, if you really want to look after her keep her away from the Myers family." She watched as Lucas realised just how scared she was. He closed his eyes for a moment.

"What about you?"

"Oh I'm safe enough. I married and have two sons. Not Myers but then my father still sees them as one day running his business. Over my dead body if you were wondering but Ros. She's the one that got away and Dad can't stand it. Keep her away." She pleaded with Lucas as he nodded.

"Thank you" He smiled as he left the two women and went off in search of Tariq. He found the young man chatting Lucy up and enjoying himself.

"We're leaving" He announced as Tariq smiled at Lucy before following him out the room.

"What took you so long?" Tariq broke in to a jog to keep up with him.

"Family business" Lucas replied as he opened the drivers side of his car.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry was annoyed. The current Home Secretary had a habit of stating the obvious. Ros looked equally annoyed as they made their way to the car. She was quieter than Harry had seen her in a long time. The grey August day did nothing to improve their moods. They waited on the step for Ian to return with the car when Harry began to get impatient.

"Ros?" He turned to her as she nodded once.

"Yes"

"The explosion at the prison. It made me wonder who else is involved in all this" Harry pulled his gloves on as Ros remained silent. She nodded once, she had wondered the same thing. Her father needed help from the outside world. She just didn't know how he was getting it.

Ros was worrying him, she had been for a while but since finding out Davidson was out of prison she had begun to withdraw into herself more than ever. He made a mental note to mention it to Lucas when they returned to the Grid. Suddenly Ros was running away as the sound of a car backfiring could be heard. Harry swore under his breath as he followed her around the corner. His car was in flames as a louder explosion blew them both backwards onto the tarmac. The car a flaming ball of metal in the middle of the car park.

"Ros!" Harry yelled as she lay on her back silent next to him. He scoured the skyline looking for any sign there was a sniper waiting to finish the job. He propped himself up on his elbows as he looked across to see his friend unconscious next to him. Ian could be heard yelling in the distance as sirens screamed in the background.

**authors note. Why is Sally so scared? Is Ros ok? What is Blake playing at and can the team stop him? More soon. Please review.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer not mine**

**The unthinkable**

Adam shoved his phone back in to his jeans pocket. He swore profusely as Zaf stared. The pair had just left the prison and were walking towards Adam's car when Zaf asked what was going on. Adam felt slightly sick at hearing the news but knew he would have to do as asked. He didn't tell Zaf what Zoe had told him. He didn't like the plan but knew it was the only way to draw those they were looking for out in the open.

"Got to speak to Ruth and Lucas. Harry's car was targeted, car bomb." Adam stated as they reached the car. Zaf shook his head.

"And?"

"And we talk to Ruth and Lucas" He got in the car and sped off, filing Zaf in on the details as he drove. Zaf kept quiet and listened, he hadn't seen Adam this angry since Fiona had gone missing. He didn't know what to think as Adam relayed the information he had received.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruth returned from the kitchenette coffee in hand, the day was dragging on and she was beginning to get worried about Harry. He was never at Whitehall for longer than necessary and she wondered what was keeping him. She glanced at the clock and sighed. Something was wrong; she could feel it in her bones. Malcolm was talking on the phone as Adam returned to the Grid and walked straight to Ruth.

"Ruth, I need to talk to you" He spoke quietly.

"Ok" She smiled "Where's Zaf?" She registered the look on Adam's face and immediately felt sick. She waited while Adam collected his thoughts. A reticent Adam was never good. She felt the tears already springing to her eyes; she had a sixth sense when it came to her husband. Something was very wrong.

"Zaf's fine, he's gone to find Lucas" Ruth nodded. She knew Adam was stalling. "Ruth, look there's been a car bomb. Harry's car" A hand flew to her mouth as she shook her head. Adam had known she would react badly but she seemed to have gone in to shock.

"Wh, what hospital?" She felt Malcolm approach them as the tears rang down her face. "Harry and Ros, what hospital? Ian?"

"They aren't in hospital Ruth" He caught her as she collapsed sobbing in his arms.

"No" She cried "No, you are wrong" She was inconsolable as Adam held her to him, he heard Malcolm replace the phone and whisper "Good Lord" as he crossed the room to them.

"Shh" He whispered in her ear as she continued crying. All she could think was Harry was dead. Her friends were dead. Her Harry was dead. Adam held her tightly while she composed herself. He waited until she calmed and could hear him over her tears. Adam hated himself at the moment, but it seemed Section D were under surveillance and it had to look to any spy that what he had suggested was true.

"Listen to me Ruth. Harry, Ian and Ros are not dead. You hear me? Not dead. Meet me in Stan's office in five minutes. We're being watched here, I'm so sorry but I had to make this real. Stan's is the only place in Thames House that we know for certain is safe." Ruth narrowed her eyes as Adam spoke. She thought back over the brief conversation.

"Adam are you trying to kill me? What are you talking about?" She sniffed as he crossed back to her; he knew Harry would never forgive him for this. He doubted he would forgive himself.

"Zaf is telling Lucas the same thing now. There really was a bomb, the news were all over the site when we were there. The bomb was bigger than the one I drove round London a couple of years ago. Someone seriously wants Section D out of the way" Malcolm nodded briefly as Ruth gained her composure.

"Five minutes, then you tell me what the hell has happened to my husband Adam. I mean it." She picked up her handbag and walked to the Pods. Malcolm almost felt sorry for the field officer, he'd seen Ruth loose her temper once and it was not a pretty sight.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Across London Zaf had caught up with Tariq and Lucas. Tariq had been debating whether it was a good idea to ask Lucy out considering he had just stolen a great deal of information from her computer. Lucas laughed as the younger man continued to debate whether or not Harry really could have him deported for dating Lucy.

"You cannot date her" He laughed as Tariq shrugged.

"Why not?"

"She could be an asset" Lucas shook his head.

"She's gorgeous!"

"Tough luck mate shouldn't have nicked the info in that case. What's Zaf doing here?" He looked up to see Zaf leaning against his car watching them. He wound down the window and called Zaf across to him. Zaf jogged across the small gap and rested his hands on the window frame.

"Mind the paintwork" He spoke quietly, all attempts at humour gone as he saw the look on Zaf's face. "What's happened?" Tariq looked on dumbfounded.

"Look, not here yeah? We got to get back to base. Before you panic, Amy is fine. I checked before I came here. Carrie can keep her overnight, no problem. Emma and Wes are staying there too" He stood away from the car as Tariq began looking really concerned.

"Guys, whatever this is, we can't have this talk here. Sally warned you to keep away, that's probably because her father or Davidson is going to turn up. They see us here now, our covers are blown. We'll never stop them" Tariq reasoned.

"Get in" Lucas remained in the driving seat. He kept telling himself Amy was fine, she was ok. It was the implication that it was Ros that made his heart constrict in his chest. Zaf shook his head and pointed to his pride and joy parked a few feet away.

"Nah, got my car. Look meet me in Fenchurch Cafe. Three blocks from here in five minnutes" He walked away from the car as Lucas began to wonder what was going on.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ros was not happy. Her head ached, her neck was sore and her favourite jeans were ruined. She was livid. Ian handed her a coffee as Zoe spoke on the phone. Ros didn't even look at Ian or Harry as she thought about the plan that was unfolding. Less than two hours ago someone had made a concerted attempt to kill the two senior officers in Section D. Right at the moment their spouses were being told of the plan.

"Nicholas Blake" Ros spoke as Harry looked up.

"Yes Ros, what about him?" Harry felt twenty years older than he actually was. Everything ached. He was supposed to be dead and he certainly felt that way. His back ached and he was worried about Ruth. He didn't want to think about how she was feeling.

"He knows what car you had. He knows we meet the Home Secretary at least once a week and always after something like the prison explosion. He met my father. He lied to us Harry. I couldn't place it when we were talking to him but he lied. He met my father just before Colin died. This all comes back to those three men, Blake, Davidson and my father" She was angry but had barely raised her voice.

"Yes" Harry said as Zoe put the phone back in her pocket.

"Safe houses arranged. Harry Adam is taking Ruth to the Camden safe house. I'll take you there. Lucas is on his way here with Tariq. Ian, Tariq will get you somewhere safe" She smiled at the driver who was unsure what he had got involved in.

"Thank you Zoe. Look, go back to the Grid. Blake and the others have to think Section D is over. That with us two dead, Lucas and Ruth will be on bereavement leave. Adam will have to appear to be in charge in the interim but the other sections will be determined to poach you all for their teams. If you want to jump ship now is the time to do it" He looked at Zoe who nodded once before smiling.

"You are not getting rid of me that easily." She watched as Ros smiled slightly.

"How will you being dead help though?" Ian asked.

"Long story. Look Ian, the least you know the safer you will be" Ros decided. Ian nodded and walked in to the kitchen.

"He has a point though" Zoe sat and watched as Harry began pacing the small living room.

"Davidson seems to be helping Myers target Ros. They seem to know our every movement. It is only Ros and I that have been targeted. Blake knows that we both attend Whitehall regularly. Blake has tried to kill us before, it seems he's up to his old tricks again" Harry continued to pace the room. He didn't want to be having this conversation. He wanted to see Ruth. The sound of locks clicking open and Zaf calling his name ended Zoë's questions.

"Ian, your chariot awaits" He beamed as the driver smiled gratefully. Ros also smiled as Lucas walked in to the room. Harry watched as Zoe picked up her jacket.

"Let's get this show on the road." Zoe smiled as Harry followed her. He stopped in the doorway.

"Ros"

"Yeah?"

"Remember what I said" She nodded. Plan B was going in to action. She switched on the small television in the corner to see News24 report on the bomb that had 'killed' her and her friend. Lucas crossed the room as the others left, his eyes never left hers.

"Hi" She smiled as he wrapped his arms around her from behind. He kissed her neck as the newsreader continued outlining the events around the explosion.

"Hi" He paused. "Oh God Ros, when Zaf turned up I really thought, when he told me" He closed his eyes as she turned in his arms.

"No" She raised her hands to his face and waited for him to open his eyes. "No way. My father wants to get me out the way; he's going to have to try a lot harder than a car bomb. It is getting boring now Lucas." She kissed him as he relaxed in her arms.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruth felt sick. It didn't matter how many times she had been told Harry was still alive or that the plan was going well she wouldn't believe Harry was alive until she had seen him for herself. Malcolm had been as shocked as she was to hear that Ros and Harry had faked their deaths. He had remained on the Grid while the others out the plan in to action. She knew that Adam would arrange to meet Davidson in Harry's place. To the outside world Adam was in charge. It was then that things would get interesting. Ruth closed her eyes and fought the tears when she thought of how she had dissolved on the Grid.

"Harry!" She jumped to her feet as he appeared in the doorway. He undid his top button of his shirt as Ruth looked away. She was suddenly angry with him.

"Ruth. I'm sorry" He wrapped her in his arms as she slapped him.

"You died. I thought you died. You let Adam make me think" She dissolved in tears as he held on to her.

"I'm sorry. It was the only way. The Grid is being bugged. We had to make it look real. I'm so sorry." He kissed her hair as she dissolved in his arms. Harry hugged her tighter as he fought the tears.

"You're dead" She whispered in to his shirt. It had felt real even if it wasn't. She pulled back as he pulled her to him and kissed her. She slipped her hand under the opening of his shirt over his heart. She could feel his heart beating as if to confirm what Harry was telling her. She raised her eyes to his.

"I'm not dead"

"Prove it" She whispered as he pinned her to the wall and set about doing as she asked.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Nicholas Blake shook his head as the television news switched from the top story of the day to the weather. He had to admit the old ways were the best, a car bomb was crude but effective. It was also easy to blame any number of terrorist groups on the planet. He picked up his glass of scotch while he considered what the next step was going to involve. His phone rang, stirring him from his thoughts.

"Hello Alex" He smiled slightly. He paused as the older man spoke on the phone. He continued to smirk at the inane weather girl as she went on about the week's weather forcast.

"Yes, of course. It's done"

**authors note. What's done? Did you really think I'd kill them off? Please review.**


	15. Chapter 15

_**Disclaimer not mine**_

_**The Female of the Species**_

Ruth stood staring at the blank wall opposite. She couldn't believe it had happened again. The white wall in front of her seemed to glare back at her. Footsteps could be heard along the corridor but she couldn't bear to look up.

"Ruth? What happened?" Graham was at her side as Ros hung back. She closed her eyes briefly. How did you explain to your step son that you woke to find his father semi conscious and in pain in bed next to her? She ran a hand over her face as Ros gave up waiting for the family reunion and walked up to the pair.

"Found this one lost in the foyer. Apparently he couldn't find the neuro unit by himself" She watched as Graham shrugged.

"So, Ros pointed me in the right direction" Graham smiled slightly as Ros studied Ruth's face. She could see the Intel Analyst had been trying to hold herself together for the sake of her step son. She didn't think she would be able to hold things together much longer. She stepped forwards as she heard Ruth begin talking.

"Where's Catherine?"

"Back at yours. I told her Dad was in an accident, but not to worry. Only thing is no one is telling me anything, so while my sister is puking her guts up at home I'm at a loss as to what to tell her" Graham had the same unnerving skill as Harry had for making people focus on the problem in hand. Ruth sighed as Ros looked at the younger man.

"He was hurt. So was I yesterday. Someone tried to kill us Graham. A car exploded when we were a few feet away from it." Ros was to the point as always.

"Who?" Graham was dumbfounded.

"Who would want to kill the head of MI5's counter terrorism and his second in command? Graham, don't be so naïve. Take your pick of the extremists and psychos out there. There is quite a long queue." Ros was barely holding her temper. Graham ran a hand over his face.

"What I don't get is why he is in hospital now Ruth. You were both fine when we left" Ros folded her arms and Ruth suddenly felt like one of the suspects that Ros and Lucas interviewed. She was suddenly glad she was on the right side.

"This morning. It happened this morning. I woke up; I never wake up before Harry. You know what I'm like in the mornings" Graham rolled his eyes as he remembered how grumpy his step mother could be when she was tired. "When Harry and I saw each other yesterday I was still angry about him letting me think he was dead. Well anyway," She filed away the memory of Harry holding her as she cried. "I woke up; he was asleep next to me. But he wasn't asleep. His breathing sounded wrong, like it was too difficult for him to get air in. He looked awful and I couldn't wake him up. He just wouldn't wake up" Ruth felt the tears spring to her eyes as she remembered the fear that had constricted her heart as she had rolled over in bed to find him cold and clammy with ashen skin.

"Oh my God" Graham sat on the plastic chair next to where Ruth was standing.

"They asked me if he hit his head, so I told the doctor about you both being caught in the explosion yesterday" Ruth continued as Ros nodded. She felt sick. "The doctor said they are going to do a brain scan. A CT. They couldn't do an MRI because when he was shot by Tom they couldn't get all the metal out. They couldn't risk putting him through the scanner with a piece of metal inside him" Ruth didn't quite know how her legs were holding her up when she saw the nurse that had helped her get a message to Harry years ago walk up the corridor.

"Hello" The nurse smiled as Ros looked down her nose at the young woman. "Are you with Sir Harry Pearce? Are you family?"

"Yes" Ruth spoke up "This is Graham, Harry's son and Ros my sister in law" She shot Ros a look, telling the blonde spook to keep quiet. Ros merely narrowed her eyes. "I'm Harry's wife"

"Oh of course" A sudden flash of recognition passed across the young woman's face.

"What is going on?" Graham didn't understand what she had just seen. Ros stared noncommittally.

"Your father has just come back from the scan, look I'll take you in to the family room. Dr James can tell you what everything means" She smiled at Ruth before walking away. The trio followed her as Ruth felt Ros staring at her.

"C'mon sis, why does that woman know you?" Ros asked as Ruth cursed inwardly. Now was not a good time.

"Er, do we have to do this now" Ruth nodded towards Graham.

Ros merely raised her eyebrows as Ruth began playing with her wedding ring.

"A while ago, when Harry was shot by Tom. Mace was trying to shut us down and no one would let me see Harry. I might have told her something to get a message to him" She blushed and looked away.

"You didn't" Ros couldn't help but smirk.

"I told her to get a message to him because we were lovers and I was pregnant" Ruth sighed as Ros' eyes nearly fell out of her head. "And now she is going to ask about the pregnancy. I can just picture it" Ros sighed as she watched her friend.

"If she does tell her to mind her own …" Ros was cut off by the arrival of the doctor.

"Mrs Pearce?"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Nicholas Blake was enjoying the late August sunshine satisfied in the knowledge that he had achieved one of his goals he had set out to achieve a few years earlier. He knew Alexander Davidson would be annoyed that Ros had died before he could speak to her, but that was just tough luck. He had quite fancied Ros himself but he had noticed the wedding ring the moment he had sat down with her and Harry. Now as he waited for Davidson to arrive he couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction that Harry and Section D had been left alone long enough to neutralise Nightingale. They had inadvertently cleared a path for Myers, Davidson and himself to achieve what they had set out to do nearly five years ago. Now Ros and Harry would not be around to stop them.

"Ah morning" Davidson smiled as he took his seat next to Blake as he folded his copy of the Times.

"I believe we have one less problem to deal with" Davidson smiled. "Shame about Rosalind, but then what you never had you can never miss. I might send her husband a sympathy card, after al I am a family friend" Blake shook his head; even he wouldn't stoop that low. Lucas didn't deserve it.

"I'm going to see Joss later; we can activate the plan as early as tomorrow. The removal of Section D has left things, somewhat exposed as they say" Blake nodded once as he spoke.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Adam was furious, he had been told about Harry's hospitalisation ten minutes after Graham and Catherine had been. To the outside world half of Section D was either dead or in no fit state to work. He stared at the computer screen as Malcolm placed a coffee in front of him.

"Adam" The older man spoke quietly as Adam sighed.

"Yes Malcolm"

"None of us knew the car would be targeted. It is not our fault" Malcolm made his way across to his own workstation knowing that as usual Adam was taking it upon himself to right the wrongs. Tariq glanced up silently as he heard Malcolm approach. It was not turning out to be a very productive morning.

"One of us will have to meet the Home Secretary in Harry and Ros' place" Zoe was thinking the plan through. If there was to be a coupe it meant that the group had to have someone on the inside at Whitehall. She hadn't been around when Myers had tried to destroy the British Establishment before, but she had a feeling it meant that more than the future of Section D was at stake.

"Yeah I'm going to go over there later, speak to Sophie." Adam smiled. He didn't want the rest of the team to worry as he was. Zaf stood and pulled on his jacket.

"Guys. Would now be a good time to let you know that I gave Ros a tracker to plant on Blake when she went to meet him with Harry?" Zaf smile broadened as Tariq spoke up.

"If it's working then yes" Zaf finished pulling his jacket on. He didn't like being on the Grid without Ruth and Harry. The place felt wrong.

"Oh ye of little faith" Tariq pretended to look wounded as Adam and Zaf smiled.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lucas walked along the quiet deserted side streets in Camden Town, he was thinking about the situation they found themselves in. He couldn't believe Harry was in hospital. He was waiting for Ros to call him with information, in the mean time he was walking to meet with an asset. He just hoped this time he could get the information they needed.

"Sally?" He smiled slightly as the woman that reminded him of his wife could be seen leaning against the bus stop.

"I can see why she likes you. You don't give up do you?" Sally held his gaze as he smiled slightly.

"Not when my family are at risk. Ros is dead. To the outside world at least and I need to know who they are targeting next. I need to know where your father is." His voice was low, no one passing by could have overheard.

"Ros is dead!" Sally looked at him as if he had been speaking a foreign language that she just couldn't comprehend. Her sister was gone?

"To everyone else. I need that location Sally. I can't stop this without you helping me" He stared at her as she nodded once.

"Ok, but what makes you think it can be stopped?"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry felt sick. He had a headache from hell and the light was hurting his eyes. He had a funny feeling Ruth was somewhere close by but didn't have the energy to open his eyes.

"Harry. You hit your head in the explosion. You are going to be fine" Ruth was talking and he could feel her holding his hand. "Don't you ever, ever scare me like this again. A brain haemorrhages Harry." He opened his eyes to see her staring at him. He smiled slightly.

"Sorry" He mumbled as she tightened her grip on his arm. Ruth smiled as he looked at her.

"What are you doing Harry? Trying to give me a heart attack? Ros was here earlier, and Graham. He's going to bring Catherine later." He smiled at the mention of his children.

"Harry?" She had known the doctors had suspected that the brain could be more damaged than they thought. The fact he had only spoken one word since waking up unnerved her. Harry was rarely quiet and when he was it was usually the calm before the storm.

"Harry?" She was nervous. She didn't know what to expect when the doctors had told her he had a slight bleed on the brain, that it could be likened to a slight stroke. No one seemed to know why Harry had collapsed at the safe house, all the tests had come back negative. The brain scan wasn't particularly concerning as far as the doctors were concerned.

"Ruth?" Harry forced his eyes to stay open. The last time he had a headache on this scale was in his army days. Aiden Dempsey had been to blame for that, as he never tired of telling the man when he saw him.

"I'm here" She smiled.

"Good. I love you. Got to get back to the Grid" His words were slightly less slurred than he had feared they were going to be. Ruth looked up as Ros re-entered the room. She smiled at Harry before signalling for Ruth to follow her. Ruth stood and kissed her husband before slipping out of the room.

"Ruth, Lucas got a location for Blake and my father" She paused "I'm going to meet him"

"No Ros, not without me. I am going after Blake" She held the Section Chief's gaze before slipping back in to the room.

**authors note. Will Ruth meet Blake in Harry's place? Will Davidson find out about Ros and can Sally be trusted? Thank you for all the reviews. More soon.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Meetings and Revelations**

Ros sighed. She didn't like the idea of desk spooks going out into the field. That was her job, plus she knew if anything happened to Ruth then Harry would never forgive her. Almost every time Ruth had gone in to the field something had happened. She smiled as she remembered Adam telling her how Ruth had saved his life when she had hit the man with a log the size of a tree trunk. Adam had laughed that it was so out of character for Ruth but Ros thought it was perfectly in character for every woman in Section D. Sometimes you just had to act, the men in the department all thought Ruth was the quiet one, when in fact Ros thought she was probably the strongest member of the team. She waited for Ruth to exit's Harry's hospital room before speaking.

"You sure you want to do this?" Ros watched as Ruth nodded once.

"Yes"

"Right, if you get yourself killed you can explain it to Harry" Ros smiled slightly before walking away.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry felt like he had been thrown under a truck. His head ached. His neck was sore and his left shoulder felt like it didn't quite belong to the rest of his body. The only good thing was that his speech and thought patterns seemed to be unaffected.

He knew Ruth was angry with him for not going straight to the hospital after the car exploded but he had a strange feeling something else had been going on. It wasn't like Ros to behave so secretly around him; she had called Ruth away to talk to her. That in itself aroused his suspicions; Ros usually had no qualms about speaking her mind, whoever was listening. Harry glared at the wall. He felt old and useless and couldn't help but think something was happening that he didn't know about. Glaring at the wall he decided that while he was still Section Head he was going to find out what was going on, however awful he felt.

"Dad?" Catherine slipped in the hospital room.

"Hello Catherine. Are you alright?" He pushed himself in to a more upright position.

"I'm ok" She smiled "You look worse than me. Had my scan about half an hour ago. Do you want to see the photos? I haven's shown them to anyone yet" She reminded Harry of when she was little and would get exited about something. He smiled.

"Of course I would" He took the scan photo and squinted, unsure of what he was looking at.

"We didn't have these when your Mum was pregnant. I have no idea what I am looking at. It looks like a blob" He laughed slightly as Catherine rolled her eyes.

"That blob is your grand child" Catherine laughed. He nodded as he passed the photo back to her.

"Is everything ok?"

"Yes Dad, Blob is just fine" She smiled.

"I need your help Catherine. I know I shouldn't ask, but you know what Graham is like. I ask him to keep something to himself and it'll be all aver the red tops by the morning" He had turned deadly serious again. Catherine placed the photo back in her purse and looked at her dad.

"What can I do?"

"Ruth is in trouble I can feel it. I think it has something to do with the men that tried to kill me and Ros. You know we had to fake our deaths to go after them?" She nodded. Catherine didn't like where her father was going with this. "Well, me being stuck in here is not only making me a sitting duck it's putting the team in danger." He held Catherine's gaze as she took in what he was telling her. He just hoped she trusted him enough to go along with what he was asking her.

"Dad listen to yourself" She was worried. "You were in a car bomb. If Ruth hadn't woken up when she did there is a fair chance we would be having this conversation. You nearly died!" She closed her eyes as he squeezed her hand.

"I'm fine Catherine. Really, thanks to Ruth getting me here so quickly. I'm fine" Catherine opened her eyes and shook her head.

"Tachycardia, raised intracranial pressure, Dad they were considering putting a bolt in to your brain to measure the pressure in there. That's how sick you were" He knew she was trying to make him see sense. "You are not twenty-five anymore"

"I know but Catherine, I can walk and talk and I can do my job. I can't be here. I promise you I will rest but I need to finish this job first. The doctor said it was just severe concussion. I've had concussion before" She nodded.

"I would like my baby to know at least one of its grandparents" She glared at him. Sometimes she reminded him of Jane so much that it sent a shiver down his spine.

"I will be here to see that Blob start school don't you worry about that. Just help me get out of here." Catherine nodded as he began telling her of the plan.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruth looked around the Grid. She didn't like it without Harry. Zaf was leaning against her desk as Malcolm joined them. He was as worried as she was; he knew Harry would not want her going after Blake or the others. He knew Lucas didn't want Ros doing the same thing either, but there was no way either woman was going to be dissuaded.

"Tariq is that bug working?" Ros turned as he nodded.

"Of course it is" He smiled as he opened yet another can of pop. Ros marvelled at how he could drink so much caffeine and still sleep at night. Ruth remained silent, unsure of what she was thinking of doing but knew there was no way she was going to sit around and wait for Blake, Davidson and Myers to destroy the people she cared about.

"To the rest of the world Harry and I are still dead. So what do we have?" She walked up and down the office. Tariq shrugged, it seemed Harry's habit of pacing while thinking had rubbed off on them all.

"Blake was arranging a meeting for you with Davidson. I can approach him and ask that the meeting still goes ahead" Ruth spoke up "He will not be expecting me to have half the questions you and Harry would have. I wasn't here when they tried this before was I?"

"Not alone. You cant go alone and what would you say you wanted to speak to him about?" Lucas was thinking out loud.

"I'll go with you." Adam decided. "That way we can say that I'm filling in for Ros until someone else is appointed. The investigation will go on as before" Ros nodded.

"Ok, what else?"

"I spoke to Sally. She says Jocelyn Myers hasn't been to see his wife since he escaped. I still think we should have surveillance on the nursing home thought. Not you Tariq!" Lucas rolled his eyes as the youngest member of the team pretended to sulk. Ros remained quiet at the mention of her sister. She didn't like Sally being used as an asset. She didn't trust her.

"Can you do that Malcolm?" Lucas turned to him.

"Of course, although there has been very little in the way of sightings of Myers since his escape. We do have locations for Blake and Davidson" Ros smirked.

"There was some chatter from GCHQ regarding a meeting in Hastings. A few names were mentioned but it seems that there is a lot of concern regarding the meetings. Myers was mentioned a few times" Zoe watched as Ros' eyes darkened.

"Contact Blake. I want this finished" Ros sighed "Zaf?" She turned to see the field officer on the phone trying to get someone to calm down.

"Sorry" He shoved the phone back in his pocket. "Zoe that was Carrie. Someone claiming to be my sister has just turned up saying she said I told her to take Emma."

"Bloody hell" Malcolm shook his head. Zoe was already at the Pods.

"What's wrong with Claire collecting Emma?" Tariq asked as Lucas and Ros exchanged looks.

"Nothing mate, absolutely nothing except my big sister is in Florida on honeymoon" Zaf was out the Pods before anyone could answer him.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry knew something was wrong as he walked back in to Thames House. Stan was sat in his workstation watching the CCTV as his jaw hung open. He hadn't expected to see the Head of Section D alive. Harry nodded and smiled as the security guard shook his head.

"Wonders never cease" He smiled to himself before going back to his CCTV footage. Harry walked up to the lifts that would take him to the Grid wondering what he was going to find.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Nicholas Blake didn't understand why anyone from Section D would want to meet him, let alone the woman he had been responsible for turning into a widow. He sat in the corner of the small Italian café in Covent Garden wondering why Ruth was so intent on meeting him. He could only assume that Harry had told her he was setting up a meeting with Davidson for Ros and Harry when they died. He looked up as Ruth approached him.

"Hello"

"Ruth, please sit down. I'm so very sorry to her of your loss" Ruth smiled slightly as she saw him lying to her. Nicholas Blake smirked as she sat down in front of him. A young waitress arrived and took their order as Ruth wondered how Harry could ever have worked with the man when he had known he had ordered the team to be killed.

"Thank you" Ruth replied curtly. She was glad Malcolm was listening in on the conversation and that Lucas and Adam were not far away. It was that knowledge that stopped her from reaching out and slapping him.

"Why did you want to meet me Ruth?"

"Harry respected you" She couldn't believe she was talking about her husband as if he was no longer here. It felt wrong to be talking about him in the past tense. "He told me that you had been set up to get you out of office. I think it was the same people that set you up that planted the car bomb" She watched as Blake nodded.

"What can I do to help?" He looked genuinely concerned. The consummate politician until the end.

"I know you agreed to set up a meeting with Alexander Davidson. Please go ahead with that, but let me meet him instead. I have to know, you can understand that surely?" She could feel her heart racing. Malcolm spoke quietly in her ear piece as Nicholas Blake nodded.

"It's tomorrow, 3pm at the Bandstand in Hyde Park. I warn you now Ruth my friend isn't the type to deal with hysterical women. I see you have questions but I don't think you will like the answers" He smirked as Ruth's blood began to boil.

"I can promise you there will be no hysterics on my part. Far from it. Thank you" She stood up and walked away as Nicholas Blake wondered if he had underestimated the Intel Analyst.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry stood in an almost deserted Grid as Tariq returned from the kitchenette. He looked down briefly as he saw Harry scrutinize something on Ruth's desk.

"Ah, Tariq." He looked up as Tariq walked over to him.

"Harry, I thought you were still in hospital"

"Well, Tariq. You know what thought did. Where is everyone? In particular where's Ruth?" He held Tariq's gaze and almost felt sorry for the young man who squirmed under his gaze.

"She's with Malcolm, Adam and Lucas. She went to see Nicholas Blake. Ros is going to meet Davidson and her father tomorrow. Looks like Lucas has managed to turn Ros' sister Sally in to an asset" He watched as Harry turned various shades of red. He wondered if his boss was about to undergo a relapse.

"Mule" He muttered "Where are Zoe, Ros and Zaf now?"

"Ros is with Amy. There was a problem at Carrie's. She felt Zoe and Zaf could do with some back up. The police called" Tariq continued.

"What!" Harry was about to explode

"Someone tried to take Emma. They think it might have something to do with Will. I dunno. Ros ordered extra security for Carrie and the kids."

"Tariq, if you value your job I think it is about time you filled me in on what I've missed" Harry watched as the young man nodded. He had a feeling he wasn't going to like what he was being told. Tariq nodded as he sat at his desk he knew it was going to be a long afternoon.

**authors note. Thank you for all the reviews. I really appreciate them. More soon.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Headache**

Zoe was angry, suddenly nothing else mattered but making sure her daughter was safe. She had no idea why someone had tried to take Emma now but she had a fairly good idea who would want to steal her daughter. It made her feel sick to think that her greatest fear had nearly happened. Will had warned her once that if she tried to run away he would make sure she couldn't. She felt the tears spring to her eyes as Zaf drove through the quiet streets. She was determined not to cry, fear and anger welled up inside as she swore if the woman claiming to be Claire Younis was still there she would not be responsible for her actions. She was just glad that Carrie had the sense of mind to check with them before she let Emma go with a stranger. Right at that moment the bombings, Myers and Davidson were the furthest thing from her mind. Zaf pulled the car up outside Carrie's as Zoe already had her seatbelt off and was heading for the door. Zaf frowned in surprise as Ros appeared from around the corner.

"Ros?" Zoe glared.

"Ruth is going to have to get me off a few speeding tickets too" She looked as Zaf smirked slightly. It was normally Adam that was trying to charm Ruth in to removing points from his licence.

"What are you doing here?" Zoe narrowed her eyes as she walked up the garden fence.

"Amy" She spoke quietly. "Let's just say since she came along I have a new perspective on things" Zaf was knocking on the door as they reached him. It was Wes that answered.

"Hello mate" Zaf stepped past the young boy.

"Hiya uncle Zaf. There was no way that was Claire. I met her loads of times. I knew it wasn't her" He closed the door behind them.

"Nice one Wes." He looked at Carrie as she emerged in the doorway.

"Claire isn't on my list of people that can take Emma. Only members of Section D are along with your Mum Zoe, so I couldn't let her go even if it was her" She hung back slightly, her dark fringe covering her face. She turned and led the three spooks into the kitchen.

"I thought your brother was staying with you" Ros sighed as she walked in to the kitchen. Amy immediately recognised her Mum and put her arms up to her. "Hello shorty" She picked up the dark haired little girl and hugged her slightly before turning to the others.

"He did" Carrie sighed "But he had to go. She must have been watching" Carrie kept her eyes down, trying to cover her arms as she dipped her head. Emma was wrapped around Zoë's waist.

"It's ok Emms" She could see Wes and the girls had been crying but Amy just seemed tense. She seemed to have inherited Lucas and Ros' traits of keeping quiet when others exploded. Zaf was livid as he walked towards Carrie. He took her smaller hand in his and pushed her cardigan sleeves up.

"This isn't right" He stated as he saw the bruises. Ros swore as Emma's eyes widened. She knew bad language when she heard it.

"Carrie?" Zaf was talking as calmly as he could. He could see his friend's girlfriend had been on the receiving end of a beating. He brushed her fringe out of her eyes and closed his eyes in anger when he saw the bruising around her right eye. He knew Adam was going to go berserk. He looked across at Wes. For the first time he realised the young boy had probably saved the day.

"Wesley Carter" Ros started as she placed Amy in her high chair before walking to the young boy. "Who hit you? Who hit Carrie? Someone needs to tell me what is going on" She looked at the twelve year old.

"Wasn't going to let her touch the girls was I? Dad says you never ever hit girls" He sounded defiant. Ros couldn't help but think that Adam had done a good job.

"That's right" Zaf interjected. Emma had released Zoe and was stood looking at Zaf. Dark eyes wide as she listened to the conversation.

"This Claire turned up, said she was to collect Emma. I answered the door because Carrie was giving Amy her tea. She said Emma's dad had sent her to get Emma and then when I said no chance she said she was your sister. But I knew she wasn't so when she tried to push me out of the way I yelled for Carrie and tried to stop her getting in. She hit Caz so I pulled her off. I must have bumped myself then" He shrugged.

"You hero Wes" Ros smiled. "Well done" The young boy shrugged and sat at the table as Emma began crying. This time it was Zaf that picked her up.

"Shh" He soothed as Ros pulled out her mobile and set about arranging a safe house and extra security for Carrie and the children.

"I don't want to go with Daddy. She said I had to" Emma clung to Zaf as he picked her up. "I want to stay with you and Mummy" Emma clinged to him.

"You are not going anywhere I promise" Zoe sighed. Her anger was beginning to build again.

"You are staying with us Emma" Zaf soothed as he looked at Carrie. Her bruises suggested more had gone on than they had been told.

"Ok. I told her I had a daddy here. She was a nasty lady I don't like her. I told her you were my daddy" Emma looked at Zaf as both Zoe and Ros exchanged glances. Both knew Zaf had been more of a father to the little girl than Will had ever hoped to be, the question was what was Will playing at and how would they stop him?

"Right" Ros replaced the phone. "The Sun Hill safe house will be ready in the next twenty minutes. I've also given Claire's description to the plod. Pack some things Carrie, you can't stay here. Not until we catch these people. And we will catch them" She held Wes' gaze as she spoke. She knew the young man believed her. Carrie nodded as she began gathering things she and the children may need.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruth walked back to the van where Malcolm was listening in to what happened. She looked around before opening the sliding door on the side of the white transit. He turned and removed his head phones.

"Are you ok Ruth?" He could see his friend was still angry

"Yes. Thank you Malcolm" She sat on the bench next to him as he tapped her on the shoulder.

"Tariq called. Harry is ok" She nodded before frowning. "How did Tariq know? Oh don't tell me. He hasn't. He has hasn't he?" Ruth rested her head against the metal of the van wall. Malcolm nodded once before making his way to the driving seat. They knew Adam was already driving back to the Grid.

"He must be feeling better" Malcolm mused.

"I'll kill him" Ruth sighed as she recalled the fear she felt when she had found him so ill next to her. Malcolm couldn't help but laugh.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Harry sat in his office looking out on to a near empty Grid. He was worried sick that something would happen to one of his team. He had called Whitehall and arranged to meet his contact there; he hoped Sophie could help him find out who in Government was helping Myers. There was no way a coup de tat would be able to happen without someone in Parliament helping. He replaced the phone knowing there was little more he could do until his team returned. The headache he had lied about not having to the doctors was slowly getting more and more intense as he gave up and took the paracetamol that Ruth had left in his desk drawer months ago.

"Yes" he barked as Ruth walked straight in to his office. He hadn't even heard the Pods open.

"What the hell do you think you are doing? You should be in hospital" She was glaring at him. Harry nodded.

"I'm fine" He stood and walked around his desk, briefly looking out in to the main Grid. There was no one to be seen. He briefly wondered where Tariq had gone.

"Fine? Fine. Well that's good. Only you weren't so fine two days ago when you could barely breathe. When you couldn't even whisper my name due to pain" She blinked as she fought back tears. "Harry, you had a bleed in the brain. You didn't know me. You had to have brain scans, now correct me if I am wrong but doctors tend not to order life support machines and CT scans for people who are fine" Ruth hissed as he raised a hand to silence her. She was not going to be silences for anyone.

"You selfish bastard. I nearly lost you" It was then the tears fell as she covered her eyes with her hands. She kept her eyes covered as Harry pulled her in to his arms and let her cry on his shoulder.

"I'm ok Ruth. Really because of you I am ok." He whispered in her ear as he kissed her hair. "Don't cry Ruth, I'm sorry please don't cry" He held her a little tighter, his headache now forgotten as he concentrated on his wife. Ruth pulled her self together as she stepped back slightly out of his arms.

"I saw Blake" She watched as he nodded. He had expected as much when Tariq had skirted around the issue.

"And?"

"And I think he is as guilty as sin. He said he was sorry for my loss. Your deaths haven't even been officially announced yet. It's only speculation that the people that died in the bomb were you and Ros. He has arranges for me to meet Davidson tomorrow at 3. Only it's not just me going. Ros will be there too" Harry smirked.

"That is going to be interesting" Harry wiped away a tear from her cheek before leaning and kissing her. Ruth suddenly wished they weren't at work. Harry reluctantly released her before pushing her hair away from her face.

"You don't go alone. We'll sort something out but neither of you go alone. I can't let Ros live out her death wish tomorrow. If Davidson is there I think Myers will be around. It's time we ended this Ruth. And I intend to get my team back safely if it is the last thing I do" Ruth nodded as she pulled him back in to a kiss. That was what she was afraid of, it being the last thing Harry did.

**authors note. Please review. Just a filler chapter. More soon xx**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer not mine**

**You Don't Believe all that Happiness Crap, do you?**

Ros sat in her car looking out over the entrance to the park. Ruth sat beside her; the dismal August drizzle matched the moods of both women. Ros still didn't think her friend should be out in the field and had made her feelings known. Ruth was a desk spook, an excellent desk spook but that was where she should stay as far as Ros was concerned. She remembered the incident in the cellar with Mace even if Ruth didn't.

"Adam will meet you at the bandstand in five minutes" She turned slightly appraising the Intel Analyst.

"Yes" Ruth was nervous but she was determined to see this through. She needed to know what Blake and the others were playing at. Sophie had given Harry enough information to worry the entire Grid. Ros had merely been as stoic as ever when they found out who in Parliament was involved. Now she felt sick at the thought that her friend was likely to run in to one of the most evil men on the planet as far as Ros was concerned. She really didn't want her friends confronting her father; she felt that was her job.

"Ruth, there is time to back out" Ros spoke calmly. "No one will think any the less of you. This isn't your job" Ruth nodded as Ros spoke.

"I've been in the field before Ros"

"And look how well that turned out" Ros raised her eyebrows. "As long as you know this isn't exactly the girl guides, you can play dirty if you have to. They will" Ruth rested a hand on the car door handle. She had enough of people doubting her. Three years in Cypress, living with George had proven to herself that she was tough enough. Her teenage years at home with her mother, step brother and her step father had made her self reliant, until she had left home to live with her aunt. This was nothing compared to that.

"Meet Adam, get the information" She muttered to herself. Before Ros could answer she was out of the car and at the entrance to the park.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Harry did not like this. He knew Ruth would never be dissuaded from meeting Davidson. He knew Ros would be in the back ground, along with Lucas and Adam. Most of Section D were somewhere in the vicinity, he wanted to make sure none of his officers were at any greater risk than they had to be. That in itself didn't worry him; he knew she had the appropriate back up. What he didn't like was the back story with Ros and Davidson. He didn't know exactly what had gone on but from what he had gathered from his meeting with her father and talking to Ros and Lucas it sounded as if there was a lot of bad blood there. He knew Ros was probably the strongest officer that had ever worked in Section D what he didn't know was what had made her that way. He dreaded to think of the hold her father had on his family when the children were little. Now he could only hope Ros could hold it together long enough to help Ruth if things got difficult.

He sat in the white transit van next to Malcolm and wished it was him with Ruth rather than Adam. Malcolm sighed as he replaced his head phones. It was going to he a long afternoon.

Xxxxxxxxx

Ruth walked in to the park aware that Adam would be waiting for her. It had been decided that he would be there first. She knew the blonde spook was still angry and upset by what had happened to his girlfriend, but she hoped he would remain professional. At the moment there was nothing to suggest the attack had been anyone other than Will sending someone else to do his dirty work. Ruth walked along the path looking straight ahead. For a moment she wondered whether it would be a good place to bring Scarlet for a walk but as she reached the bandstand she focused on Adam who was leaning against the railings.

"Ruth" He smiled slightly as he saw her. She couldn't help but return the smile. It was one of the reasons Adam was such a good spy; he could put anyone at their ease with just a smile.

"Adam, if you say I don't have to do this….." She looked away as Adam smiled. He knew better that to try to persuade Ruth against doing something she had set her mind on. He had tried before and not seen his friend for nearly four years.

"I wont"

"Because if you do, I'll set Ros on you" She could hear Lucas laugh in her ear piece. The team were observing the meeting from various points around the park. Adam just smirked at Ruth's words. But had a sneaking suspicion she would do exactly that.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Tariq sat under a tree reading NME magazine. He could see the white transit van in the distance. He didn't like Ruth being in the field and he didn't like having to pretend Harry and Ros were dead. He had believed Zaf when he had appeared at the nursing home.

Zoe sat in her car at the other entrance of the park. Zaf was at the bus stop covering the third exit. He pulled his parka jacket tighter to him, wishing he had chosen the option of watching the mark from the car. Instead he pushed himself away from the bus stop bench and began following the older men as he spoke quietly in to his ear piece.

"South entrance. Heading towards Tariq" He crossed the road.

"I have eyeball" Lucas watched as Davidson entered the park, accompanied by Blake. Malcolm had high jacked the CCTV and was watching the whole thing in the van with Harry. Harry was silent next to him. Ros remained silent as she heard the exchange. She knew they had the element of surprise but she wanted to maintain that as long as possible.

"Both Blake and Davidson. Heading towards you" Tariq turned the page on his magazine; he hoped he looked as if he was just watching the world go by as he waited for his girlfriend or his mates. He was still debating calling Lucy but wondered if Lucas was right.

"Ok, thank you" Ruth muttered. She was strangely calm as the former Home Secretary and the man she had only seen in surveillance tapes came in to view.

"Ready Ruth?" He turned to face her. He could see Zaf in his peripheral vision.

"Yes" she answered curtly as the man approached.

"You wanted to meet" Davidson looked Ruth up and down. She felt her skin crawl, suddenly understanding what Ros had meant. Nicholas Blake stood slightly behind his companion looking smug. Adam was temped to punch him.

"Yes" Adam stepped forward slightly. "We know you are consorting with a known criminal" Adam glared. He didn't like the way the older man was looking at his friend.

"That, young man is a strong accusation. You had better be able to provide some evidence before making such statements" Davidson glared as Adam smiled slightly.

"I can assure you that I am not in the business of making idle threats. You were both seen in the company of a known criminal." Adam glared.

The older man shook his head and turned to Ruth. She held his gaze despite the nausea that engulfed her. She was determined to be as cool as Ros or Zoe would be in the same situation.

"Lady Pearce" He looked at her and smirked. Ruth glanced briefly at Adam.

"Mrs Pearce" Ruth corrected Davidson. "My husband was given the title, not me. He was the one rewarded for bravery" She knew Harry would be cringing as he listened in. She really didn't care at that point. Adam remained silent.

"Yes, yes indeed" Nicholas looked at her as she felt Adam step back a little. It was as if he had decided whatever happened at the meeting she would be ok. Neither of them was naive enough to trust either of the men in front of them. Ruth hoped Malcolm was getting the whole exchange on tape. Nicholas looked nervous and Adam was beginning to enjoy the fact that he and Ruth seemed to have them on the back foot.

"What is Jocelyn Myers playing at?" Adam spoke calmly and quietly.

"I cant think what you mean" Blake smirked the politician in him coming to the fore as Ruth glanced out across the park. She knew that if Blake recognised any of her colleagues they were in trouble. She was pleased they all had the sense to stay out of the eye line of anyone in the bandstand but she was getting nervous. Things were taking too long. The longer she stood with Davidson staring at her as if he was appraising a slab of meat the more she felt things were not going well.

"I think you know exactly what I am referring to." Adam looked directly at Davidson. "There is to be another attempt at Myers pathetic little plan. There are three top political aides currently at Thames House helping with our enquiries. We know when and where, it isn't going to happen gentlemen." He stepped back, ready to leave the meeting as Ruth breathed in sharply.

"Who is going to stop us? Section D is in disarray" Blake smirked at Ruth. She narrowed her eyes.

"Yeah whatever" Adam turned back to the older man.

"Harry Pearce is dead, Ros Myers is dead. Cut the head off the beast and the rest falls apart" Davidson laughed as Ruth heard Ros swear in her earpiece.

"That's where you are mistaken" Ruth spoke up as Adam shot her a warning look. It had been part of the plan to play along with the rumours that Harry and Ros had died in the car bomb. "You killed them. I know that and you know that. I will find the evidence" Ruth felt the anger rise again; she had genuinely believed her husband and friend were dead when Adam had appeared on the Grid. The same anger and fear coursed through her veins as she faced Davidson.

"You have no evidence to suggest such a thing!" Davidson spat at her. "I knew Rosalind as a young girl. I warned her to be careful who she associated with. If she had listened then she could have been happy, as her sister is now" Adam glared as he heard Ros curse quietly in his earpiece.

"So you killed her" Ruth continued. "Section D isn't over. It never will be. You killed the two most respected and senior members but it wont destroy Section D. You turned Ros Myers and Harry Pearce in to martyrs more than victims." Ruth felt Adam's hand on her arm as she spoke.

"Tell us where Myers is now. We will find him so lets just cut to the chase. I want to talk to the organ grinder not the monkeys" Adam smiled at both men as Ruth froze beside him. She realised she had pushed them too far. The gunshot that reverberated around the park drowned out her screams as Ros threw herself out of the car and ran towards the bandstand as Lucas and the others abandoned their posts.

"Where are they?" Lucas yelled as Ros turned full circle. There was no sign of either Adam or Ruth. She screamed in frustration as Zoe, Zaf and Tariq approached.

"No one passed me" Zoe stated. She was worried about her friends.

"Me either" Tariq looked terrified. Harry approached. His face drained of colour. He had heard the gunshot and was clearly expecting to walk in to a blood bath. His surprise was evident when there was no sign of his wife and friend.

"Someone care to enlighten me as to how four people can disappear in to thin air?" He barked as Lucas looked towards a small wooded area to his left. The small copse of trees was the only real secluded part of the park. It was perfect for trying to escape but he had no idea how four adults could vanish so quickly. He knew they had missed something.

"Harry" He was silenced by a look from Harry as his mobile began ringing. Harry answered it as Ros held his gaze.

"Yes" Harry barked down the phone. What little colour he had drained completely as he heard Nicholas Blake.

"Harry, you sound remarkably well for a corpse. Give my love to Miss Myers won't you." He laughed "Sorry Harry, but this is business, purely business. Your little Intel Analyst and the hired thug got a little too clever. Had to put a stop to that. Leave us alone and they'll be returned in roughly the same state you left them in. Interfere and I'm afraid they may not. You'll be contacted in the near future. Bye Harry" He hung up the phone as Tariq tapped away on what looked suspiciously like an I pad. Ros merely wondered what adaptations he had made to the gadget.

"Got it." He looked at his boss. Harry turned on his heel and walked back to the van. All he cared about was getting Adam and Ruth back. Right at that moment nothing else mattered.

**authors note. Dun dun dun! How did they get out the bandstand? What happened? Where are Ruth and Adam and are they ok? Please review. There isnt much of this story left. **


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer not mine. Please be aware that this chapter suggests violence rather than shows it. For that reason I am making this chapter a strong T. I didnt think it was graphic enough for an M but please let me know if I should change the rating. I did not intend to upset anyone. It's quite angsty in places so please skip this chapter if you think this may offend. **

**Hopeless**

Adam held his head and groaned. He hadn't had a headache so badly since he had been out to the pub with Zaf the weekend before he had married Fiona. That had been the stag party to end to end all stag parties. Zaf had arranged that particular little party in the middle of an operation not long after he had returned with Fiona from Syria. He had drunk his own body weight in larger and had arrived home declaring undying love for Fiona. The next morning he had known Fiona hadn't been happy that he was so hung over. Opening his eyes he stared at the grey ceiling above him. He blinked as he remembered the meeting at the bandstand. The pain in his side forcing him to curl in to a ball. This was no hangover.

"Adam?" He heard Ruth whisper his name. "It all went wrong" She sounded as if she was holding back the tears. Adam opened his eyes properly, the sense of dread that coursed through him abated slightly when he realised Ruth was with him. But then he remembered what had happened the last time he had been held hostage with one of the women of Section D. He was determined the same fate Jo had suffered wouldn't happen to Ruth. He prayed he hadn't been unconscious long enough for Blake and Davidson to hurt her.

"Are you ok?" He mumbled. He saw her tear stained face and torn blouse. Her cami top was visible where the buttons had been ripped off.

"Yes, yes I think" Ruth sighed. She was terrified.

"How did we get here? Where is here exactly?" Adam asked as he pushed himself in to a sitting position. He saw the bruising around Ruth's eye and cheek, along with her finger marks on her neck. "Ruth?"

"They had a gun, we didn't. Why didn't we have a gun? You tried to grab it and the next thing I know I'm waking up in the back of a van. I don't know how we got from the bandstand to the van." She ran a hand along her face, wincing slightly when she touched a bruise.

"The others will know we are missing. Tariq wasn't far away and Malcolm will have everything on tape. They'll find us." He tried to reassure Ruth. She looked away. Adam couldn't remember a time when she had appeared more frail, there was still a determination there. He could see she was scared but she hadn't given up completely. He remembered their time at the hands of The British Way yeard before and hoped she had the same strngth now. He was terrified something had happened and he hadn't been able to protect her. He knew he would never forgive himself if it had. The memory of Jo begging him to kill her resurfaced. He felt sick. It couldn't happen again, it just couldn't. He thought as he looked away.

"Yes, we lost the element of surprise though. He called Harry. I heard him speak to him. They know he is alive at least" She brushed a tear away from her face as Adam swore.

"We are getting out of here Ruth. We are" He tilted her face to look at him. "Don't give up, don't you dare" He watched as she nodded.

"Ok"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry paced his office. They had returned there when staying in the park had become futile. Tariq and Malcolm had returned to their workstations and were going through the bugs and CCTV footage from the bandstand. Malcolm had no idea how he had missed the abduction.

"It has to be on here. It has to be" He muttered to himself as he heard Zoe and Lucas talking a few feet away. Tariq had headphones on listening to the conversation between Adam and Ruth and the men they were talking to. He smiled slightly when he heard Ruth threaten to set Ros on Adam. He had felt bad about his friend going in to the field. It was notoriously bad luck for Ruth but something always seemed to happen when she ventured out. She was a desk spook. That was the way things were meant to be. He pulled the headphones off in frustration as he saw Ros fold her arms as Harry barked at her.

"Screaming at me will not help Harry." She remained calm. Harry looked on the verge of a heart attack. "Ruth knew the risks as did Adam" She tried to reason with Harry. Harry was not prepared to listen to reason; instead he stormed out on the Grid.

"What do we have?" He barked as Zoe and Zaf exchanged glances.

"So far" Lucas started "We have two missing officers, no idea where they are or how they were taken. We also know Davidson is involved and Myers along with Nicholas Blake are attempting to stage a coup on the British Establishment. I think taking Adam and Ruth is intended to distract us from that. We also have three high ranking political aides in the cells" Harry nodded.

"Zoe, Zaf talk to them. Find out what we need to know. I don't care how you find out just get me the information" Harry barked. Zoe exchanged a glance with Zaf before making their way from the Grid.

"There is a blip in the tape. Almost like something controlled the camera on the bandstand" Malcolm glanced at Ros who narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Go on"

"All the cameras have time and date stamps on them" Tariq clarified. "But here the tape jumps. Look, there's Adam with his back to the camera and Ruth facing Davidson. All ok so far" Harry nodded "The time is 15:07. Then the tape jumps to 15; 11. No one to be seen. Now whatever happened went on those four minutes" He looked at his boss who nodded. It wasn't much but it was a start.

"We can restore those tapes. I'll get on to that while Tariq tries to get a location on the bug Adam wore. The one Ruth was wearing was discarded I'm afraid" Malcolm looked away as Ros swore. Harry frowned.

"Discarded?" Lucas asked. He knew neither of the others would.

"Yes" Tariq bit is bottom lip. "Ruth chose to take a bug with her, one with a tracker built in. She told me it was clipped in her blouse. In the button hole. Somewhere along the line it has been lost. It was either taken off or removed." He looked away as Lucas became angry. He knew Tariq's little devices were tiny, they would only be found if someone knew what they were looking for, the implication was that Ruth's blouse had been damaged in such a way that the tracker had been removed made both him and Harry feel sick. He looked at the floor for a moment before turning his attention to Ros and Lucas.

"She may have removed the tracker herself, to give up a starting point to look for them" Ros thought out loud as both men nodded.

"Get me everything you can on these men. This coup is not happening. I don't care how and I don't care who you have to deal with. This ends today. We have two officers out there and I intend to have them both back here, whatever the cost" Harry marched back to his office; he hoped Ros had been right.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Adam forced himself in to a standing position as he heard men in the corridor outside. He estimated that Jocelyn Myers had to be in his 60s whereas Davidson and Blake were in their 50s. He surmised that he should be able to fight three old men. Ruth watched as he walked to the door.

"Ruth, we are getting out of here" He hoped he sounded sure of himself. He didn't want her to think he had given up. Ruth sat opposite the door, knowing whoever entered the room would see her first. She shrugged. She believed she was going to die and couldn't really bring herself to care.

"C'mon Ruth. We have got to fight our way out of here. We don't give up. I got Wes and Carrie to get back to, you've got Harry, and Catherine's new baby" He tried to smile encouragingly. Ruth stared straight ahead.

"Even cats only have nine lives Adam" He hated to think what had happened while he was out cold but Ruth had changed. It was as if something inside of her had broken. He stared at her for a moment before the door began to open.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry had spoke to Sophie, his contact at Whitehall and was more worried than ever. The one political aide they had not arrested was missing. Jamie Summerville had not been seen since before Adam and Ruth had gone missing. He closed his eyes as he thought about what might be happening to his wife and friend. He had no idea how he would face Wes or Adam's mother if the worst had happened. He had no idea how he would go on living if the worst had happened to Ruth. He looked up as Zoe walked in to his office.

"Does no one knock these days?" He looked at the young blonde. Zoe was not in the mood for Harry's temper. She stepped back and tapped the door which had already closed behind her. It earnt her a scathing look from Harry.

"We have the last location for Ruth's tracker. We also have a sighting for Summerville" She watched as Harry sighed.

"Go on"

"Summerville was seen in Old Compton Street two hours ago. Malcolm is on the CCTV footage and Zaf is going to go down there. Ros and Lucas are half way across London." She watched as Harry nodded.

"Ruth's tracker" He wanted her to get to the point.

"Was found in the middle of the road three streets away from the park. Destroyed. The serial number on it matches the one Tariq gave Ruth. It means they travelled west from the bandstand. We have a possible leads on where they are headed. It's a start Harry" He watched the young field officer as she spoke.

"Yes. Thank you Zoe" She knew she was being dismissed. She sighed as she turned and walked out of the office. She wanted to scream that she was worried too, Adam and Ruth were her friends and she cared about them. But then she saw Zaf across the Grid and knew if it was him missing she'd be as worried as Harry. So she kept her own counsel.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lucas drove across London as Ros sat next to him in silence. He knew she was blaming herself for what had happened. He turned the corner at the traffic lights as she continued to glare out of the window.

"Ros" He started. His voice low as Ros closed her eyes. She knew he was worried about her, she didn't need his worry at the moment. She thought of everything that had happened in the last few weeks and began to wonder whether she was still up to the job. She turned to Lucas.

"What?"

"This is where Ruth's tracker was found. So they must be on CCTV somewhere" Lucas reasoned as he parked the car. Ros nodded as she looked up at the camera mounted next to a street light.

"If we can find out what the registration plate of the vehicle is we can find out where it was headed. Track it on camera." She pulled her phone out of her pocket and began ringing Tariq. Before she had pressed the call button her phone was ringing.

"Yes" Ros spoke clearly as Malcolm's voice could be heard over the phone. She pressed a button so Lucas could hear what was being said on speaker phone.

"Ah yes, Ros" Malcolm started. He sounded worried.

"What is it Malcolm?" Lucas asked as he held eye contact with Ros.

"Your father contacted us. He wants to arrange a meeting. Swap you for Adam and Ruth" Lucas looked out of the window and swore profusely.

"When and where?" Ros remained deadpan.

"Tonight, London Dockyards. 11 pm. He says you are to go alone" Ros rested a hand on Lucas' knee to silence him. Lucas covered her hand with his own as he held eye contact with her.

"Fine by me. Lets end this" Ros hung up the phone as Lucas just watched her.

"You can't Ros. You can't go alone" He watched as Ros shot him a sideways look.

"Back to the Grid Lucas. We can sort the details out later. Whatever happens Ruth and Adam are coming home tonight" Lucas squeezed her hand. Something was different about Ros. He wasn't quite sure what it was but something had changes. It was almost as if she had resigned herself to her fate. Then he remembered. The last time he had seen her smile at him that way was when she ordered him to take the President out of the hotel. She had believed it would be the last time she would see him. It was the same look, he knew she expected to be killed at the meeting. He hoped it wasn't going to be the same fiasco that had resulted her brother being arrested for attempted murder and the death of Hans Linnerman.

"You can't go alone" He stared at her as she waited for him to start the engine.

"Is there something wrong with the car Lucas? Do you want me to get out and push?" She watched as he smirked, hoping that her sarcasm hid the wave of nausea that engulfed her. Getting Adam and Ruth back was a priority as far as Ros was concerned but the time and date still nagged at the back of her mind. She pushed the thought to the back of her mind as Lucas finally put the car in to gear and headed towards Thames House.

**authors note. Please review. Will Adam and Ruth be ok? Will things ever be the same with Harry and Ruth and will Ros really meet her father? More soon x**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Goodbye**

Ruth glanced at Adam as the door to the cell opened. He expected her to scream or do something other than sit there and accept her fate. For a moment he wondered whether Ruth was really the quiet little mouse they had all accepted her for so many years ago. Since returning from Cyprus she seemed stronger, more resigned to her fate. He was pleased in a way that she wasn't panicking, but then remembered the day in the woods. She had been scared but it really was her that saved him. He wondered if that would be the case today or if he would get to return the favour. Then he remembered she had been in situations like this before, Lucas had told him of how Mani had kidnapped her when she had first returned to the UK.

A man roughly the same size and age as Adam forced his way in to the room and walked towards Ruth. She looked up as he approached her. Adam stepped from his hiding place behind the door and tried to pull him off Ruth. She fell backwards as Adam felt the other man elbow him in the ribs. Both men continued to brawl on the floor as Ruth screamed. She tried to pull the younger man away from Adam but was left sprawling as an elbow connected with her jaw.

"Adam!" She tried to help but was caught off guard when another man dragged her from the room. This time she was kicking and screaming as she tried to wriggle free of the younger man's vice like grip. Adam was helpless as his head hit the floor. The last thought in his head as the door to the room slammed shut, was 'not again, please not again'. He was on his feet in seconds, banging and kicking the door while he screamed Ruth's name. He felt sick as he heard a woman scream before a gunshot ran out along the corridor.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Lucas sat on the edge of his desk. He had no idea where Ros had gone. He closed his eyes, still trying to think of a way to get Ruth and Adam back without Ros having to go to the Dockyards. He knew she was prepared to do it; she would do anything to protect her officers. Lucas sighed as Malcolm looked up. Both men knew how badly the deaths of Ben and Jo had affected their Section Chief. The technical officer looked at him.

"It won't be like the Hans Linnerman fiasco" He watched as the younger man nodded.

"No?"

"No Lucas it won't. We will have her covered" Malcolm sighed as he saw Lucas look down.

"Yeah, like we had Ruth and Adam covered. We were all there and we missed it. It wasn't until you restored the tape we even saw the tazer guns." Lucas ran a hand over his face. Zoe emerged from the kitchenette with two coffees. She handed one to Malcolm.

"Lucas it wont be like that" Zoe sighed.

"No, no it wont" Lucas pushed himself away from the desk "None of us died that time" He walked towards the Pod doors as Harry returned. The Section Head saw the field officer leave looking dejected and decided to let him go, for now.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ros knew she was going to be killed. She knew her father was intent on removing the one obstacle he saw as getting in the way of his success. Sally and Philip had always done as he had said; she knew that up to a point she had been the same but never again. The thought of her father and Davidson made her feel sick. She ran up the path to the safe house front door where Carrie was staying with the children. For a moment she wondered if she was doing the right thing. Ros sighed as she pressed the doorbell. There was still a few hours before she had to be at the Docklands and she desperately wanted to say goodbye to Amy. She stepped back as Carrie answered the door.

"Ros?"

"I can't stay long. I just wanted to see Amy" Ros felt foolish, she knew she couldn't tell Carrie why she was there. Carrie knew well enough not to ask. She stepped back and let Ros in.

"Amy is asleep." She watched as Ros smiled slightly. It was when she saw Wes in the doorway that she nearly caved.

"What are you doing here? Has something happened? Is Dad ok?" Wes looked terrified.

"I had some free time, so I thought I'd call in that's all. This job is weird like that Wes. Hopefully it'll be over tomorrow and things can get back to normal" She smiled slightly as Wes nodded.

"Is my Dad ok?"

"Yes, I'm meeting him later. I'll have him back with you before you know it" Ros sighed as Wes nodded slightly; he was so much like his father that it was disconcerting at times. He turned and made his way back in to the living room. Carrie closed her eyes. She had wanted to ask the same question but knew that she would have received the same answer. She could never tell whether Ros was lying so she pointed in the direction of the bedroom as Ros went to find her daughter.

"Hello Shorty" She watched as the baby slept. She was nearly a year old now and Ros still couldn't believe it was possible to love someone as much as she loved her daughter. Amy turned her head in her sleep but didn't wake up. Ros sighed. She couldn't believe that she was about to leave the little girl forever. Amy stirred slightly as Ros touched her dark hair. "You are like your daddy" She whispered. The baby opened her eyes and immediately reached for her mother. Ros picked her up and held her close.

"Hello" She saw the baby give her a gummy smile. "It's going to be ok you know? Your Daddy is going to look after you well. He really is, you are going to have a brilliant life." Amy rested her head on her mum's shoulder as Ros kissed her hair. "I hope he tells you good things about me, not the bad things. You still are not allowed to follow us in to this job, you still have to be safe. Just because you wont be able to remember me, doesn't mean" Ros stopped as her voice cracked. "Doesn't mean you don't have to listen to me now little one. I love you, you are the best thing your dad and I ever did. I think he's going to need reminding of that now and again, because he really doesn't want me to do what I'm going to do" Amy looked up as if to ask Ros what she was talking about.

"Mama Mama" Amy touched Ros' face as Ros kissed her hand. Ros couldn't help but smile at her daughter. She wondered if this was how Fiona had felt when she had gone after Farook, or had Fiona really expected to return to Adam and Wes in one piece. Ros felt she was being more realistic.

"Well Amy. Wes already only has his daddy. Wouldn't be fair to leave him on his own would it? Your daddy is going to look after you so well. I have no concerns about that. Believe me if there is an afterlife, I'll be keeping an eye on you too" She watched as Amy began to settle back to sleep in her arms. Ros didn't want to put her back in her cot. She didn't want to let her go. She had the same feeling the first time she had left her with Carrie to go to work but now it was a thousand times stronger. "Aunty Ruth and Uncle Harry will look out for you too. You are going to be fine, the most beautiful girl in the world" She kissed Amy as she fought the tears. Amy knew something was wrong but didn't understand why her Mum was so upset. She cuddled in to her as much as her small frame would allow as her eyes grew heavy.

"Goodbye sweetheart" Ros kissed her hair again before placing her back in the cot before walking out of the safe house without a word to Carrie or Wes. She hadn't seen Carrie in the hallway and didn't know the young nanny had heard everything Ros had said to Amy. She didn't see the tears that ran down her face.

"Oh Amy" She whispered as she heard Ros drive away.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Adam really believed Ruth was dead. The scream had been silenced by the gunshot. He knew Ruth had been killed, he had no idea why. He sat facing the door waiting for his turn, he fully expected to be killed shortly. His right eye was swollen closed and his face was bruised. His ribs ached and he wasn't sure his left knee would hold out in another fight. He wanted to cry for his friend and desperately missed Carrie and Wes. Glancing down at his left hand he saw the wedding ring that he had never been able to remove. He had a feeling that he would be with Fiona soon. The room door opened as Adam tried to push himself in to a standing position.

"Ruth?" He was amazed as the brunette was thrown on to the floor. She fell on to her hands and knees as Adam stared at her in shock. She smiled slightly as the door slammed shut. They heard the door lock behind her.

"Ruth?" He watched as she caught her breath.

"Yeah" She smiled slightly "Are you ok?" She saw the bruises and swelling on his face and suddenly felt sick.

"I'm fine" Adam tried to smile. "What happened to you? Are you ok?" She smiled as he looked at her, suddenly more worried than he thought he could be. Images of Jo when she had been returned to him flashed through his mind. He prayed history wasn't repeating itself.

"I'll live" She watched as he looked at her "And so will you. They tried to scare me Adam, and they succeeded. But I haven't said anything. I swear I didn't tell them anything" He took in the fresh bruises on her wrists and the scuff marks on her knees where her trousers were ripped.

"Doesn't matter" Adam sighed.

"Yes it does. Because we are getting out of here. And I for one didn't sign the Act for nothing Adam. You told me not to give up, now take your own advice" She rested a hand against his cheek. "You are going straight to hospital when we get out of here" She took her hand away and slipped it in to the waistband of her trousers. Adam raised his eyebrows as she produced a key.

"Harry may have told you about my slightly miss spent youth" She smiled as she showed him the key.

"How?"

"When my mum and step dad and stepbrother were being particularly vile I had to leave home. Long story, the shorter version is I ran away to live with my aunt in London. But I had to get my own way there. I was 16 I learnt to pick pocket to survive." She shrugged.

"You stole?" Something about that didn't ring true with Adam

"Not really. But my mum insisted on locking me in my room, as I was such a disgrace to the family. So I stole the key. Got out and ran to London. Didn't think the skill would ever be used again" She tucked the key inside her sleeve as Adam smiled. "Now, if we get out of here, you run. I'm slower than you Adam. Don't you dare do what Danny did. You run and you keep running. Get help and then come back for me" Ruth hoped she sounded more determined than she felt. Adam held her gaze. There was no way he was leaving her.

"Ruth" She turned and walked to the door. Adam noticed the limp. "I don't think I can run" He pointed to his knee as Ruth swore. She hadn't thought of a plan B when she had slipped the key from Davidson's pocket as he had pinned her to the wall. All she knew was she had to get out.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry watched as Lucas stared in to space. He knew Ros was determined to get through with the meet and how much Lucas didn't want her to. He approached the younger man as Lucas turned up.

"Where is she?" Lucas asked.

"I was hoping you could tell me that." Harry was as worried as Lucas was. The Grid was empty apart from the two men, as the rest of the team had headed across London to the Dockyards. "How is she coping? With all this I mean?" Harry watched as Lucas shrugged. Ros was a closed book when she wanted to be, even to her husband.

"Better than I am" Lucas smiled slightly.

"Good" Harry stared in to space. So much had changed since he had been asked to form Section B as it had been at the time. There were so many ghosts in the place, Helen, Tom, Danny, Fiona, Colin, Jo and Ben. He couldn't help but wonder if they were judging him now. Blaming him for their deaths and the deaths of officers that were still to join the team. He closed his eyes.

"Makes you wonder if it is all worth it, doesn't it? What with Amy at home, families relying on us" Harry shook his head sadly as Lucas looked at him. He had never known Harry to doubt what they were doing.

"We will get Ruth and Adam back. Ros will be fine" Lucas didn't know who he was reassuring. Harry was about to answer as the Pod doors whooshed open.

"Is this a private party or can anyone join in?" Ros walked down the few steps towards them. Lucas couldn't help but smile as she walked towards him.

"Ros" Harry was all business again as he saw her glance at him. She folded her arms across herself.

"I'm wired, I've got a tracker, a bug and one of Tariq's mini cameras sewn in to my shirt here" She pointed to the top button on her black shirt. "I am wearing a Kevlar vest. I have my gun, now can you both stop worrying about me and concentrate on putting my father back behind bars?" She watched as Harry smirked slightly. He knew when Ros was annoyed. Lucas sighed.

"A Kevlar vest doesn't stop a bullet hitting you in the head" Luca watched as she briefly glared. She hoped she was hiding the wave of nausea that washed over her. Once again she dismissed what her body was trying to tell her as she held Lucas' gaze.

"Now, that's what I love about you. You have such a sense of optimism" She deadpanned as Lucas smiled. Harry nodded. He was nervous and again wondered if now he was going to be grandfather it was time to hand Section D over to someone like Ros and slip in to retirement early. He had no inclination to end up like Dolby or Juliet. He knew if Ruth didn't walk back on to the Grid with him then he would never return but he couldn't bear the thought of letting Ros act on her death wish. He had to do something to correct the sitaution himself. He quietly walked back to his office, intent on making a few phone calls.

He watched as the two officers walked across the Grid. He prayed that Ros was right. He had attended too many funerals since the section had been created. He had to do something to make sure no one else died on his watch.

**authors note. Please review. Not much more left now. Why is Ros feeling sick? Is it nerves or something else? More soon.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Escape**

Ruth slipped the key from her sleeve and placed it in the lock. Her heart was pounding and her legs felt weak but she could see Adam was in no state to do anything other than concentrate on breathing. She remembered when Harry had been shot years before. Adam had been thrown in at the deep end and swam with no problems. He had fitted in to the team as easily as if he had always been there. She sighed at the memory of that awful time. It had inadvertently been left to her to tell Harry what was going on and therefore help save Section D. She had a feeling it would fall to her again now. She had a feeling the Section may be about to change again, beyond all recognition.

"Adam? Can you stand?" She glanced back at her friend. He nodded slightly as he pushed himself to his feet. Every cell in his body screamed at him to stay where he was. The room spun dangerously around him.

"I'm fine" He lied as Ruth raised an eyebrow.

"Remember, even with an injured leg the chances are you are faster than me. If we manage to get outside Adam. Keep going. Think of Wes and don't look back. Don't you dare look back" She held his gaze. He had never seen her more determined.

"What about you?" He leant heavily against the wall as Ruth sighed.

"Contrary to popular belief I can look after myself" She looked away hoping that she wasn't showing Adam how terrified she actually was.

"Ruth"

"No Adam. I know what you are thinking. Harry thinks I'm some little fragile thing too. Well I'm not. I've survived worse. This isn't Boscard and I'm not Jo. Get out and keep going. For me, please Adam" She held his gaze as the key turned and the lock gave way. Adam knew she was right; they had all underestimated her in the past. It was that underestimation that led to people thinking little, quiet, bookish Ruth couldn't take care of herself. He couldn't count the number of times she had proved them all wrong.

"If we can, we stay together" He saw her nod. He knew Ruth had no intention of slowing him down. She would never say it but right at that moment Ruth was only concerned with getting him back to Wes and Carrie. She couldn't think of Harry or her stepchildren. If she did, she knew she would never survive.

"Fine. Come on" Ruth pulled the door open and prayed that there was no guard on the other side.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ros felt sick and dizzy. She leant against the car bonnet. The night air chilled her to the bone as she pulled her leather jacket around her. Something felt wrong. There was something not right about the whole meet. She heard Zoe in her earpiece telling everyone she was in place. It was small comfort to know her team were with her. She wondered who the team would replace her with if the meet panned out the way her father clearly intended it to. She hoped it was Lucas that replaced her, she thought he deserved it. She hoped her father would go back to prison, and take Davidson with him.

The night seemed to close in around Ros as she waited for the meet. Lucas was in the background with Zaf. Tariq and Malcolm were in the surveillance van watching and listening in on everything. All Ros could do was prey she was wrong and they would all be going home in one piece.

"I have eyeball" Zaf sighed as he saw the black car approach the yard. Ros immediately tensed up. This was it.

"Thank you" Ros muttered. "Stay back until the last moment. Wait for my signal" She sounded calm and was amazed that her voice didn't shake. But she knew that if the slightest tremor had been evident she would have berated herself and made Lucas even more nervous.

"Ros" Lucas muttered

"All comms working well. I have eyeball" She stood straighter in front of the car. The black BMW pulled to a stop a few feet in front of her. Ros could hear Zoe rambling in her ear piece but chose to tune out all noise apart from what was in front of her. This is it, Ros thought to herself as the back doors of the BMW began to open slowly.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Harry replaced the phone on his desk. He knew he had to catch up with his team. He had already told Lucas to go on without him. Sighing he rested his head in his hands. He couldn't admit it to the rest of the team but he was scared. This was Adam, Ros and Ruth. Three of the most important people in his life and they were all in danger, not to mention the trouble Catherine was in with her pregnancy and drug habit. He had to prey she was clean; he was relying on Graham to spot the signs he knew he would miss. He closed his eyes and berated himself for his weakness as the office door opened.

"Adam!" He looked up to see his friend in the doorway.

"Hiya" Adam smiled slightly. He was in agony. Every breath reminding him how his ribs were broken.

"How? What? Ruth?" Harry was on his feet and in front of the younger man in seconds. Adam swallowed hard.

"I don't know where she is" He looked at the floor "We escaped. It was her plan Harry." He watched as Harry absorbed the news. "I heard gunshots. We got out and split up. She said I had to get back here to get help, there was no way we were both getting out without help. I heard shots" Adam knew he was rambling but the guilt he felt at leaving Ruth in the clutches of those thugs ate away at him. Harry looked stricken, he knew what Adam was trying to tell him. This time Ruth wouldn't be faking her death.

"Looking at the state of you she was right" Harry was barely able to control his emotions as he thought of the state his wife would be in if Adam's condition was anything to go by.

"I'm sorry Harry. I'm so sorry" Adam swallowed hard as Harry nodded.

"Ros and the others are at the Docklands. Myers contacted me, there's to be an exchange. Ros agreed to swap herself for you and Ruth" He checked his watch. "Any minute now. I had better get down there" Harry walked towards the Pods.

"I'm coming with you" Adam followed him, trying his best not to look in absolute agony. Every cell in his body screamed that he should be in a hospital bed rather than on a MI 5 op. Harry glared at him for a moment before admitting defeat and allowing Adam to follow him.

"You do know, Harry. You do realise this is a suicide mission for Ros don't you?" Harry remained stoic. He knew that was exactly what Ros had accepted it as. The rest of the team were determined that she would be back on the Grid with them later that night. He nodded once to Adam.

"Just sometimes it is nice to prove Ros wrong" He stepped through the Pods desperate to get to the rest of his team.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruth lay in the boot of the car wondering exactly how a desk spook managed to get in to such dangerous positions. She made a mental note to recheck her job description if she got out of this alive. The car stopped abruptly and Ruth rolled slightly in the boot, her head connecting with the back of the boot lid. Muffled voices could be heard as she tried once again to tug her wrists free of their bindings. She kicked the boot lid in temper, then cursed as her feet ached in protest and the pain reverberated up to her knee. She could only hope Adam had got back to Thames House in one piece.

xxxxxxx

"Rosalind" Myers walked out of the car and towards his daughter as Ros folded her arms in front of her. She heard Tariq mutter that he could hear everything clearly. She smiled slightly as she lifted her head to meet her father's gaze.

"I kept my part of the bargain. You keep yours" She narrowed her eyes slightly, blonde hair blowing across her face in the breeze.

"You still doubt me" He clicked his fingers as Davidson appeared and walked to the rear of the car.

"Oh spare me the mafia crap please. I've watched the Godfather enough times" She rolled her eyes as she spoke. Joss Myers had always been one for the dramatic gesture and his showmanship sickened her now. Davidson opened the boot as another car could be heard entering the compound.

"You asked me to keep my part of the bargain" He replied as Davidson pulled Ruth from the boot of the car and dragged her to the side of the car. Ruth swore profusely as Ros' lips quirked in to a smile.

"Are you ok Ruth?" She asked as another string of expletives came from Ruth. Ros couldn't help but smile as the normally quiet Intel Analyst swore profusely. "Adam Carter. You said you would swap both of them for me. Where is he?" Ros watched as Ruth also appeared very interested in the whereabouts of the field officer.

"Ah, now see Rosalind that's where there is a fly in the ointment" Ros narrowed his eyes at his words.

"He escaped" Ruth held Ros' gaze. Tariq muttered something in her ear. She ignored him, the only part of his sentence that registered was something about Harry's arrival.

"He's dead" Myers replied as Ros glared.

"Prove it" Ros rested her hands on her hips. "Prove he's dead" Her father laughed.

"Once you would have accepted my word as gospel. You were such a Daddy's girl. What happened?"

"I grew up"

Ruth yelped as Davidson pulled her hair, forcing her head backwards and her face next to his. Ros could feel the anger rise. She didn't believe Adam was dead. He had survived too much to simply die at the hands of her father and his hired thugs. The night air turned colder as the engine of another car seemed to get closer to them. Ros glared as her father took a step closer.

"Rosalind" He watched as Ros glanced at Ruth.

"I am going nowhere until you let her go" She spoke calmly.

"Do as I say Rosalind"

"Oh please" Ros returned her gaze to her father "I don't believe this crap. You may terrify Sally and have Philip jump through hoops but I'm too old for all this. The service has spent too much money on trying to repair the damage you did" She took a step forward as her father shook his head.

"I only wanted the best for my children" he stated as Ros and Ruth both raised an eyebrow.

"No you only wanted to control us. You only want to control everything you touch. Real life isn't like that Daddy dearest. You make have lackeys like him" She gestured to Davidson "And Blake but you won't control everything. You seem to forget you are an escaped criminal" Ros watched as her father turned a dangerous shade of purple.

"Get in the car!" He yelled at her as Ros remained exactly where she was. "You ungrateful little bitch! Get in the car" Ros heard Lucas swear in her ear piece.

"And if I don't?" Ros knew she was goading her father. That had always been a dangerous move. She remembered the last time she had goaded him. She remembered how terrified her sister had been then, she wondered what Sally would make to the situation now.

"Get in the car!" He repeated as the sirens got nearer. The black BMW was joined by another black car as the headlights temporarily blinded Davidson and Myers. Ruth gasped as she tried to pull free of Davidson's grasp.

"I really wouldn't do that Ros" Harry stated calmly as he emerged from his car. The black Mercedes sat in the shadows with it's headlights on full beam illuminating the entire scene. Ros tried to hide her surprise as police sirens and cars swamped the area. The sirens died down as Davidson pulled a gun and held it at Ruth's head.

"Oh" Adam stated as he and Lucas appeared on the scene "That's a really bad idea. A really bad idea" He watched as Ruth closed her eyes slowly. Ros folded her arms as Harry approached.

"As you can see Adam Carter is alive" Harry stated calmly. Jocelyn Myers smirked.

"This is between me and my daughter" He glared as Ros glared. Her expression completely unreadable. Ros glanced at Ruth and remembered the last time her friend had been held at gunpoint.

"I killed you once Ruth, I can't do it again" She sighed as she stepped forward. "Come on then, lets make the swap" Lucas wanted to scream as he heard her. Davidson smiled as he pushed Ruth forward. He didn't see Ros raise her gun to his head.

"Keep walking Ruth" She stated as Ruth realised what was going on. Two armed police officers yelled for everyone to drop their weapons. _Not bloody likely _thought Ros as she held her gun directly at her father and Davidson. Ruth fought the urge to be sick as she saw Harry walk towards them. She desperately wanted him to hold her but right at that moment she needed him to be as far away from what was happening in front of her as possible.

Davidson laughed as he held his gun in front of him as Ruth screamed. The screams were drowned out as a second gunshot sounded out through the docklands. Harry was at Ruth's side in seconds as she fell to her knees. The body of Alexander Davidson fell to the floor next to her. Jocelyn Myers yelled at Ros as she lowered her gun. Her body shook with exhaustion and fear as her father held his own gun to her head. Ros turned her gun back on her father, barely aware that a police marksman had shot and killed the man that had haunted her nightmares since she was a child.

"It's over dad" Ros held her gun in front of her, aware that at any moment her father would fire his gun and kill her. She knew Lucas and the rest of the team were nearby. She had seen Harry pull Ruth to her feet but the rest of it was a blur in her peripheral vision. All she could see was her father pointing a gun at her head.

"My Rosalind" He smiled as she slowly shook her head. A single tear escaped her eye as she saw him unclick the safety catch.

"Dad" She whispered "Don't do this. You can't win. You really can't win" She held her own gun steady, she could see Adam in her peripheral vision and heard Lucas whisper her name. Tariq was talking constantly in her ear piece, relaying information from the armed police. Her father caught her eye and held her gaze. As much as she wanted to Ros couldn't look away.

"Put the gun down!" Harry yelled as he saw the police move in. One officer had his gun trained on Jocelyn.

"Do as they say. They will shoot!" Ros yelled as she realised SO19 were with them. She felt her own gun begin to tremble in her hands. She didn't know if she could pull the trigger. He smiled at her as if she was a naughty child rather than a grown woman.

"Yes they will. You killed your friend Ros. So do you think you could kill your father?" He held his gun steady in front of him. It was pointed directly at a space in the middle of her forehead.

"Don't make me find out." She was suddenly unaware of everything around her as the gun in her father's hand fired. Suddenly she was on the ground breathing heavily as Ruth screamed and Harry swore. The effort to open her eyes to see what was happening was too much and she heard rather than saw the thud of her father's dead body as it hit the ground.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

"Ros" Lucas pulled her so she was facing up. She finally opened her eyes as he spoke. "Ros"

"What happened?"

"He shot the police man that was behind you. They warned him to lower his weapon. He didn't so the police marksman fired." Lucas explained as she sat staring at the dead body of her father.

"Why am I not dead?" She couldn't really believe she was alive and in Lucas' arms. She could see Harry talking to a police man and the others all milling around as the clear up began.

"Luck?" Lucas sighed as she remained almost catatonic in his arms. "I pushed you out of the way? I dunno Ros. I really don't know". Ros sighed as Lucas spoke. The tears fell from her eyes as she focused on the feel of her husband's arms around her and the body of her father just inches away from her.

"He's dead" Lucas nodded as she spoke "My father is dead" She felt Lucas brush a tear from her cheek, she hadn't realised she had been crying.

"Yes, Ros" Lucas whispered "Yes, he is. I'm sorry"

"I'm not" Ros whispered as she trembled slightly but Lucas couldn't quite make himself believe her.

**authors note. One or maybe two chapters left. Where is Nick Blake in all this? Is Ruth ok? What happened to her when Adam escaped? Will Lucas find out why Ros has been acting out of character, is Zoe's ex still in the picture and will Adam get back to Wes and Carrie? Thats alot to get in to two chapters! I may feel a sequel to this is in the works! Thank you for all the reviews. Please take the time to let me know what you think. It really is appreciated.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Revelations**

Ros sat at her desk staring in to space. She was aware that it was late, that the rest of the team were busy tying up the loose ends of the case. Harry was ensconced in his office making phone calls; Zaf had taken Adam to hospital while Zoe had gone to check on Carrie and the children. There was no sign of Ruth as Lucas placed a mug of hot coffee on the desk in front of her.

"Ros?"

"I am fine Lucas" She stared at the dark brown wood on the Briefing Room door. Lucas nodded, although he didn't agree that Ros was fine. She was as far from fine as he had ever seen her.

"Maybe. But I'm not" He whispered as Ros dragged her eyes away from the door.

"I" Ros was rarely at a loss for words, but the look in Lucas' eyes silenced her. He looked lost, even more so than when he had first arrived on the Grid the day before Remembrance Sunday a few years earlier. She sighed, it was another lifetime ago.

"He was going to kill you." He spoke quietly, aware that the remaining members of the Grid would be able to hear him if he spoke any louder. Ros held his gaze, she was perfectly aware of what her father's intentions had been.

"He wanted to" She sounded completely defeated; she was almost catatonic as Lucas ran a hand through his dark hair. He didn't know how he was going to get through to her. He was more scared at that moment than he ever had been in his life. She was defeated, had completely given up.

"You were going to let him" It wasn't a question, rather a statement. Ros narrowed her eyes.

"Don't be so stupid Lucas" She spat as Malcolm overheard part of the conversation and made himself scarce, retreating to Tariq's workstation. Lucas glared at the floor.

"I know you, you were prepared to let him kill you" Lucas was keeping his temper but only barely. He was completely unaware that Ros was fighting a panic attack. The Grid suddenly seemed too small, too claustrophobic. She narrowed her eyes as Lucas looked back from her.

"Why? What makes you think I would want to die?"

"Wesley called me. He heard you saying goodbye to Amy" He watched as the colour drained from her face. She hadn't thought that the young boy was eavesdropping. But then when both parents were spies it was hardly a surprise. Ros watched as Lucas moved away from her and walked to the kitchenette. The rest of the Grid was silent as Ros suddenly realised even Harry and Ruth were no where to be seen. She sighed heavily before getting up and following Lucas to the kitchenette, suddenly exhausted as she realised the time was approaching 3 am.

"Lucas" She stood in the doorway. "Please" He kept his back to her, he didn't want to argue with her but he had a feeling if he turned around and faced her he would not be able to control his temper.

"You thought he was going to kill you and you weren't going to try to stop him. I dunno what else to say to you Ros. You are letting him win even now."

"This job is risky Lucas, you know that. Yes I thought my father would kill me. It didn't mean I wanted him to. You really think I want to leave Amy? To leave you? How can you think that? Now, after everything" Ros looked at the floor as Lucas turned and stared at her. "I said goodbye to Amy because I couldn't bare the thought of never seeing her again. I just had to see her again" Lucas noticed how she folded her arms across her chest, as if to protect herself from the rest of the world, including him.

"Ros I" He stepped towards her, the boiling kettle long forgotten. It wasn't until he touched her chin, forcing her to look up at him that she looked in his eyes. "I'm sorry, I was scared" He whispered as she smiled slightly.

"You don't get rid of me that easily Lucas North. Not now" She continued to glare at him. He was tired and seemed to have problems processing what she was telling him.

"You have a death wish" Lucas stared at her. His voice steady, although he wanted to shake some sense in to her. He knew that wouldn't work, even if he could bring himself to.

"No" She took his hand in hers and pressed it to her abdomen "I have a lot to live for, even if my father seemed to think otherwise" She watched as his eyes flickered to their hands and then back to her face.

"Are you telling me? Are we? How? When? I mean. You said goodbye to Amy"

"I just wanted to see her again, to say goodbye incase what I was doing did end up with me in a bodybag. Very early days Lucas, but looks like lightening does strike twice" She couldn't help but smile slightly at his reaction.

"You're" He paused.

"Pregnant again. About a month. I found out earlier tonight, after I left Carrie's safehouse" She watched as he absorbed the information. She wasn't sure if he was pleased at the news or in clinical shock. He had been quiet for a little too long, it was the same response she had when she had told him of her first pregnancy. She stepped back slightly as Lucas tightened his hold on her waist. The smile that spread across his face surprised her. They had never discussed having a second child.

"Never wanted Amy to be an only child" He pulled her in to his arms and kissed her passionately as she forgot where she was for a moment and kissed him back. Seconds later she pushed him away.

"We are on the Grid" She glanced back in to the main Grid, noticing it was still empty. Lucas nodded, suddenly very serious as he reached around her and slammed the door shut before pinning her to it..

"Yeah we are" He smiled before kissing her again. This time Ros didn't pull away.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruth leant against the railings as she stared out over the London night sky. She was freezing, having left her jacket on the Grid. It had been a long day and she was exhausted, only functioning on a combination of adrenaline, caffeine and nerves. She shivered as the sleeves of her navy blouse rode up her arms exposing bruised wrists and scratched hands. She was glad Zoe had bound her ring and middle fingers on her right hand. She was convinced they had been broken when Davidson had stamped on her hand. She smiled sadly as she realised that even then she had kept quiet. There was nothing any of them could do to make her talk, not now. Not when she knew Harry was safe, she wasn't the same person that had given in and told Mani what he had wanted to know all that time ago when a gun had been held to Nico's head.

One thing still bothered her but her mind was too fraught to really process everything, she knew she needed to sleep. She knew it would be difficult to find. The air around her seemed to change as she realised she wasn't alone on the rooftop.

"Ruth" Harry spoke as she turned slightly to acknowledge his presence. She had already known he would find her.

"I used to miss this, when I was away" She turned back to the skyline. Harry stared at the bruises on her neck, it looked as if someone had tried to strangle her. She had told him nothing of what had happened to her, but he reasoned there hadn't been time since returning to the Grid a little over an hour previously.

"Miss what?" Harry approached her cautiously. Adam had told him a little of what had happened once they had left the bandstand. He had seen the bruises, the marks on her neck and chest. Harry tried to swallow the anger he felt when he saw her torn shirt, wounds and broken fingers. He was glad Myers and Davidson were dead; believing he'd had killed them with his own bare hands if they were in front of him now. He had heard how Adam had believed Ruth had been killed; he still couldn't quite believe she was stood in front of him. It was almost as if he was scared to touch her in case she disappeared.

"This" She stared out over the London skyline as Harry smiled to himself. "London. Being up here, with you" Ruth smiled slightly as he leaned against the railings. He suddenly realised how cold she was.

"Ruth, you are going to get hypothermia" He pulled his own jacket off and rested it on her shoulders. His heart nearly broke when she flinched under his touch. "What happened Ruth? What did they do to you?" He couldn't hide the tremor in his voice. He remembered something Ros had told him after they had finally got Adam and Jo back from Boscard and the monsters that had taken them. _This job was always more dangerous for women, always more difficult._ He desperately wanted to pull Ruth in to his arms and never let her go. She shook her head sadly as she avoided his gaze. She couldn't think of what had happened, never mind vocalise it. She had believed she was going to be killed and was slightly amazed that she was stood with her husband on the rooftop.

"Have you spoken to Catherine? She'll be wondering where we are" Ruth straightened up. Harry sighed. Changing the subject and deflecting questions had always been their speciality. He had hoped they wouldn't slip back in to the habit. "There's been no sign of Ryan for a while. Wonder what happened there" She continued to stare in to space.

"Yes, I called Graham. Asked him to pop around as we were working so late. Ruth, the kids aren't the issue tonight. You should be in the hospital. Zaf has dragged Adam there, you should have a check up too" He watched as she finally turned to face him, pulling his coat closer around her.

"I'm ok." She smiled weakly. Harry raised an eyebrow. "I will be ok" Ruth corrected herself as Harry pulled her in to his arms. This time Ruth didn't flinch as Harry kissed her hair.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Nicholas Blake sat in the leather chair in his study wondering what had gone on at the meet. The phone call he had been waiting for had failed to arrive; he had checked all the television and internet news sources. There had been no news of a dead woman being found. There was no news of anything untoward happening in the Greater London area. _Well no more than could be expected_ he thought to himself. The clock ticked across to 4 am as he wondered when or if Jocelyn Myers had been successful. He wondered if Harry Pearce would contact him again. Sighing as he drank the last of his scotch he decided that his decision to stay away from the meet was probably the right decision. The annihilation of Section D could wait for another day. If Joss Myers wasn't to be the one that took the credit or blame for removing it then he was sure he could find someone who would be willing to fill those shoes. He decided that he'd find out what had happened when Jocelyn Myers decided to contact him he drained his glass and went to bed.

Xxxxxxxxx

Tariq laid on his bed at home. His parents were asleep in the room next door, his sisters had school in a couple of hours and he hoped he hadn't woken them. Something about the case was bugging him. He couldn't help but think there was something they had missed. He picked up his mobile phone before setting it back on the bedside table again. It was nights like this he realised he really should have moved out, like his cousin Sayeed had. He decided it wasn't too late to ring Malcolm and pressed the speed dial and waited for his friend to answer.

"Yes" Malcolm sounded wide awake.

"Sorry Malcolm, I know it's late. But something is wrong, it was just too easy. We got Adam and Ruth back but it was just too easy" Tariq muttered so he wouldn't wake his parents in the next room.

"I know" Malcolm sighed. Tariq could hear Sarah talking in the background and smiled to himself. Sarah was spending a lot of time in London recently.

"What happened to Blake? I mean something must have happened" Tariq hated to admit it but after seeing Ruth and Adam a few hours earlier he was terrified.

"Blake will turn up Tariq. When he does, we'll just have to be ready for him" Malcolm sighed as he replaced the receiver. He turned back to Sarah who was laid in bed next to him, already half asleep. He laid down next to her, he was worried. It seemed something was wrong. While Nicholas Blake was still out there he knew Section D was still in danger, what he didn't know was what to do about it.

**authors note. Thank you for the lovely reviews. They really cheered me up after what has been a rotten week. Penultimate chapter up soon. Please let me know what you think. What will Malcolm do next? Will Catherine be ok? Two babies on the Grid? That could be interesting - might be an idea for the next story xx**


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer Not Mine**

**Game Over?**

Ruth woke at home in her own bed. Every cell in her body ached and she was in no hurry to get out of bed, despite knowing she had to get to the Grid. The clean up operation after the deaths of Alexander Davidson and Jocelyn Myers would be a nightmare, Adam was probably still at the hospital and she wanted to see Catherine and check she was ok. She could only imagine how Ros must be feeling after seeing her father die at her feet. She sighed as she looked at the small clock radio next to the bed. Ruth decided another five minutes wouldn't hurt and closed her eyes again. Ruth smiled as she felt a heavy arm wrap itself around her waist. She realised Harry was in no mood to get up either.

"Harry" She whispered as his fingers began drawing circles on her bare abdomen where her t-shirt didn't quite meet her shorts. He was quiet a little too long as Ruth waited for an answer. The circles he drew on her abdomen touched a bruise causing her to wince slightly. She sighed, Harry still hadn't said a word. It wasn't like him to be quiet; she turned slightly to face him as she wondered if he was really awake.

"Harry?" She was met with his stare as she wondered what was causing him to be so quiet.

"You're covered in bruises" He propped himself on one arm and stared down at her. The duvet had falled away from her top half, allowing Harry to see the extent of the beating she had taken when Davidson had decided to question her. Ruth held his gaze, determined not to look away. She didn't want to think of the last twenty four hours. She was alive and with Harry. That was all that mattered.

"I know. It's ok" Ruth smiled slightly as Harry closed his eyes.

"No, it's not ok Ruth, it is far from ok" Harry held her gaze as she realised if he hadn't been crying he was certainly on the verge of tears.

"I'm sorry" She reached up and ran a hand along his stubbled chin. "It's over Harry. Everyone is ok. It's over". He shook his head slightly as Ruth spoke.

"No, you have nothing to be sorry for. You are covered in bruises. Adam said, when he got to the Grid I was the only one there. He told me, he thought you." He stopped himself. He knew he was rambling, it was something he only did when she was there. He realised it was a trait he may have picked up from her.

"He heard shots Ruth. He heard gunshots"

"Yes, they shot at me. Surprising really that their aim was off. I mean Davidson was ex military, and I am not exactly a small target" She smiled as Harry glared. He had been frightened and he wasn't sure what to do about it. He knew Ruth was more than capable of taking care of herself but this was different. She wasn't trained like Ros and Zoe but she kept putting herself on the line. He couldn't understand why.

"Hey, you don't get rid of me that easily." She smiled as she pulled Harry into a kiss. He pulled away unrepentantly as Ruth raised an eyebrow.

"I thought you were dead, you are covered in bruises, your arms, legs, thighs. Your hands." He kissed her broken fingers "Even your chest Ruth. Christ what did they do to you?" She closed her eyes. It was the last thing she wanted to talk about, even though she knew it would have to be in the report. And that Harry would read the report.

"I'm here and I am ok. Bruises heal. Put it this way, if Blake hadn't arrived when he had things would have been a lot worse. He was vile but he stopped them when it was only violence." She held his gaze as she spoke. Harry sighed. He hated Nicholas Blake but in that moment he was grateful the ex Home Secretary was involved in the attempted coup they had foiled.

"He stopped them?"

"Yes, Davidson had said something along the lines of; if I can't have Rosalind her friend will have to do. Harry don't" She saw him close his eyes in anger. "I'm not Jo; this wasn't Jo, Adam and Boscard. We're fine. Aren't we Harry? It was only violence. They didn't get in here" She tapped the side of her head. She was suddenly unsure of herself as Harry opened his eyes.

"We are ok, aren't we?"

"No, Ruth" She frowned. "We're more than fine. You and me, we were never just fine" Ruth nodded slightly as he brushed her hair out of the way and kissed her. Ruth wrapped her arms around his neck as she relaxed in to the kiss, suddenly whatever good reasons she had for leaving the bed had been forgotten.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Blake stood in his living room. It had been ten hours since the meet should have taken place. He flicked the television on and looked through the news channels. None seemed to be showing anything about the death of a blonde woman. He couldn't understand it. He had expected Myers to contact him; he wondered how the old man could have got it wrong again. Blake shook his head as the newsreader talked about yet another service man dying on foreign soil and clicked off the television as the phone rang.

"Yes" He barked into the phone when asked his name. The next few minutes outlined what he had suspected. He sighed as he thanked the caller and replaced the phone on his oak side table. He sat in his chair and wondered about what he would do next. It was getting more and more difficult to second guess Section D. He just had to find some way of making sure Harry Pearce were out of the picture, without Alexander Davidson and Jocelyn Myers he wasn't sure how he was going to achieve that. It seemed Section D were particularly tenacious.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Adam had a feeling something wasn't right. Zaf had collected Wes and Carrie earlier, having told them that Adam was injured. He knew they were in the waiting room outside the small A&E cubicle. He barely heard the doctor explain when he would need his stitches removed or when his wound would need checking again. He was desperate to speak to Malcolm, hoping that the technical officer had caught something useful on the CCTV. He also hoped Ruth and Ros were ok. He had a feeling they would be dealing with things their own way but he wasn't sure it was the right way.

"Hiya mate" He smiled as Wesley walked in to the treatment room.

"Dad!" The twelve year old looked astounded as he took in the bruises and cuts on his father's face. Carrie appeared in the doorway and covered her mouth with her hand to disguise her shock.

"You ok?" Adam looked from Wes to Carrie. The young childminder just nodded.

"Zaf went back to the Grid. Said something about the woman pretending to be Clare being arrested. He wants to see Zoe and Emma" He shrugged as he looked at Adam's bruised eyes "Are you ok Dad?"

"Yeah, just fell badly that's all. Remember what I am always telling you about tying your shoes properly?" Adam smiled as Wes rolled his eyes. He knew his father hadn't simply fallen.

"Ros said you were fine"

"She was right" He jumped off the hospital trolley as Carrie sighed. He draped one arm over Wes' shoulder and sighed as Carrie walked to him and hugged him to her.

"Oh Adam" She sighed as he kissed her hair. She just hoped he was ok, she wasn't sure what had happened but she just prayed he was really ok. He smiled as he realised how lucky he was to be walking out of the hospital. Carried sighed.

"You could have died" Carrie almost whispered as Wes nodded. He was 12, he knew what was going on around him.

"No, not really. The majority of people in my job live long and happy lives. They die of old age in their beds" He smiled as he thought about it.

"Yeah, Dad. Most of them don't work for Uncle Harry" Wes looked up as Adam shrugged. He couldn't help but laugh; his son did have a point.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Malcolm was back at his desk before anyone else arrived on the Grid. He had been thinking about his telephone conversation with Tariq and couldn't help but agree with the younger man. Something was wrong. He was relieved Adam and Ruth had been found and that Ros had survived the confrontation with her father. He tapped away at the computer as the tapes of the meeting in the dockyard whirred in to life. Ros' voice and Ruth swearing could be clearly heard. He smiled to himself as he pictured his two friends wrong footing the man in front of him. He was lost in the recordings as the Pods whooshed open.

"Ros" He pulled his headphones off as she sat down. "Have you been home?"

"Yes" She turned on her own computer.

"Nicholas Blake wasn't there last night." He nodded as she spoke. "I intend to find out where he was and what the hell he is playing at" She watched as Malcolm sighed heavily. He was worried about the same thing.

"Last night, I recorded a great deal of conversation" He watched the computer screen as he waited for the screen he wanted to load. "Most of it nonsense, some of it you and the others at the meet" He waited as Ros folded her arms. He had her full attention.

"Go on" She looked exhausted. The morning sickness was beginning to become a problem and she felt awful, but knew she would have to keep working. She'd only feel safe when Blake was stopped.

"Davidson quite clearly mentions you and Blake. He curses him for stepping in and spoiling his fun with Ruth" The disgust in Malcolm's voice was mirrored by the look on Ruth's face. She swore under her breath as Malcolm paused. "He also mentions the fact that Blake was a coward for not facing you at the meet. He says that if it were anyone else he would be there" Ros nodded as Harry arrived on the Grid and walked towards them.

"Go on Malcolm"

"Well Tariq called me at around 5 this morning. He got me thinking. Blake has tried to kill us all before. I believe he called it operational necessity. It made me wonder if he would be the brains behind such a scheme again" Malcolm paused as Harry waited.

"You found something Malcolm. What?" Harry knew he wasn't going to like what he heard. He glanced at Ros noticing how pale she had become.

"I think I have. It was him that helped Myers escape from prison. I believe he bought the explosives and bribed a third party to plant them at the prison. I believe he used Myers and Davidson's egos to his own ends. He wants revenge on who he sees as removing him from office" Malcolm watched as Ros nodded.

"I told him to stay and fight at the time" Harry didn't understand.

"I think he blames us for his downfall. That we didn't protect him. From what I have heard he is not going to give up. Myers and Davidson dying is just a delay rather than an end to proceedings" Malcolm watched as Ros got to her feet. She grabbed her leather jacket as the rest of the team, minus Adam began to arrive.

"Where are you going Ros?" Zaf smiled as she walked past him.

"To find out what the hell Nicholas Blake thinks he's playing at. It all leads back to him Zaf." Ros watched as Harry joined her.

"Yes, Nicholas Blake started all this. I for one think it is time we ended it" Harry followed Ros out of the Pods as Ruth and Lucas were left to stare after them.

**authors note. Will Harry and Ros find Blake? Is Malcolm right? Who called Blake? Please let me know what you think. Last chapter up soon.**


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer not mine**

**Visiting Time**

Harry sat next to Ros as she drove. He could see how tense she was and decided it was better to keep quiet as she negotiated her way through London rush hour traffic. He knew she was only barely controlling her temper. Ros gripped the steering wheel as if her life depended on it. Harry glanced out the window as the streets of the city began to whiz past. For a brief moment he wondered about the look Ruth had shot him as they left the Grid. It was the same way she had looked at him when he had gone to the hotel when Nightingale had tried to derail the peace talks. He pushed the thought away as Ros parked a little way along the street from her destination.

"Ros, are you sure about this?" He looked at her as she rolled her eyes.

"Nicholas Blake knows what went on. Ruth even said she saw him when they were holding her hostage" She held his gaze as she opened the car door. "I want to know exactly what Blake thinks he is playing at" Harry nodded and followed her to the small townhouse at the end of the street. He knew something was different about Ros, he couldn't put his finger on what, but something was different. He sighed as they reached the front steps of the house.

"Leave the talking to me" He watched as she smiled slightly. She knew Harry would have him dealt with before she even got in the back door.

"Fine, I'll go round the back" She was gone before he could argue. He pulled out his lock pick before he could think what he was doing. He knew Nicholas Blake would never answer the door. He wasn't the only one that could play dirty, Harry thought as he felt the lock give way under the pressure.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruth looked up from her workstation as Lucas approached her. He was as worried as she was. He sat in Zaf's chair as she watched him.

"What is it Lucas?" She was trying and failing to make sense of the data that had been recovered from the meet. Lucas sighed. He didn't know if Ruth knew about the baby but he was worried sick that something would go wrong. This was too close to home for them.

"Nicholas Blake seemed to have enough sense to keep away from the meet. What makes us think he is still in the country?" He paused as Zaf joined them. He was uncharacteristically quiet as he leant against his desk. He glanced at Ruth, the bruises on his friend's neck and arms made him physically sick, he couldn't imagine how Harry was feeling about it. He sighed as Ruth leant back in her chair.

"I reckon he's legged it by now. He's not stupid, he's going to know Ruth said she saw him" He turned to Lucas who was staring at his hands. "If they are checking out his house, they wont find him" Zaf waited as Lucas nodded. Ruth closed her eyes briefly as the two men discussed the case.

"Go after them." Ruth stared at Lucas. He nodded as Zaf stepped back, momentarily shocked at the strength behind Ruth's outburst.

"Just go after them. Lucas, if Blake has gone from the house then it's rigged. He wouldn't risk leaving any evidence behind. It's going to be rigged" She bit her bottom lip as Zaf pulled his phone from his pocket.

"Get the bomb squad over there" He pointed at Tariq "Find out where Zoe and Adam are and get them to meet us" He ran after Lucas who was already at the Pods. Lucas didn't really care about whether anyone provided back up; he just had to get to Ros. Ruth nodded as she turned back to her computer. She was already exhausted but knew she had to keep looking for a link between Blake and the others involved in the coup. She was terrified someone had missed something.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Ros broke in to the rear of the house a little less subtly than Harry. Sighing in frustration she looked around the kitchen. It looked as if the place had been abandoned months ago. There was no sign that anyone had been there. She glared as she walked through in to the living room to see Harry stood in front of the sofa.

"So he heard the good news then" She kept her voice low.

"Clearly" Harry answered. She turned full circle and stopped as she caught sight of a photograph and piece of paper on the side. The red button on the answer phone was flashing. Harry was silent as she stepped forward.

"Oh you sick piece of scum" Ros whispered as she picked up the photograph and piece of paper. She stared at it for a moment as Harry approached her.

"Ros?" She ignored him as she looked at the photo. The note next to it listed her name and address. She picked it up and passed it to Harry. The photograph was a long range shot of her and Amy walking to the car. She had no idea she had been photographed, judging by the coat Amy was wearing it had been the day before Adam and Ruth had been taken. The red button continued to flash as Harry realised what was happening.

"We have to get out of here" He grabbed her arm as she finally turned to face him. "Ros! Move!" He yelled as he pulled her to the door. Ros suddenly registered what he was trying to tell her.

"Shit!" She ran out of the front door, seconds behind Harry as the house exploded. The glass smashed outwards as they reached the street. Car alarms erupted in protest as Harry fell behind a car. Ros landed a little further along. She hit her head on the pavement as Harry got to his feet.

"Ros?" He looked up to see his section chief holding her abdomen. He suddenly realised what he had seen earlier. She opened her eyes as Harry approached her. "Are you ok?"

"No Harry. I am not ok" She propped her self up against a car. "I'm really really annoyed. Our only surviving suspect booby trapped his house and buggered off. I'm stuck on a pavement, it's about to rain oh and I have the morning sickness from hell. So really no, I am not ok" Harry laughed slightly at her out burst.

"Morning sickness? I thought so" He smiled as she glared.

"Oh and to top it all off, someone has been taking bloody photos of me and my daughter. I didn't even suspect anything. I also have to talk to my mother and sister. Someone has to tell them he's dead" She punched the car tyre in temper. Harry nodded. He had to admit that worried him.

"Congratulations Ros" He smiled as she glared at him. She smiled slightly at Harry.

"Thanks"

Both looked out to the burning house as the fire engines began to arrive. Lucas and Zaf could be seen running towards them. Ros stood up as Lucas reached them.

"Can't leave you two alone for five minutes" Zaf laughed as Harry shot him a look. Lucas ran his eyes over Ros' thin frame, subconsciously checking for any external signs of injury.

"Someone tipped off Blake. I bet it was that nephew of his" Ros sighed as Lucas nodded. He pulled his collar closer as the rain began to pour down on them. He watched as Zaf turned to see Harry watching the fire brigade dousing the house in water.

"What now?" Zaf sighed.

"He will be back Zafar. I know Blake. This isn't over." Harry sighed. Ros and Lucas exchanged glances.

"So what we find him?" Zaf ran a hand through his rain soaked hair.

"No. He'll find us. We just have to be ready" Harry walked back to his car, knowing the others would follow. Lucas didn't like it one bit, but he had a feeling Harry was right.

**authors note. Hi! I know I said this was the final chapter but I'm considering an epilogue where Ros confronts her sister. Let me know what you think. Thanks for all the reviews so far. xx**


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer not mine.**

**Family**

Ruth sighed as she closed down yet another file. She hoped she was right to send Zaf and Lucas after Harry and Ros. There had been no news of them since. She checked her watch again and sighed. It had been less than an hour, but she couldn't help but worry. Tariq smiled at her slightly before he made his way to the Pods.

"Where are you going?" Ruth looked alarmed that anyone else would leave the Grid now when so much was still going on.

"I won't be long, just want to check something in the Registry" She watched as he ran up the few steps to the Pods. Malcolm sighed, he knew Ruth was terrified but was doing her best to hold things together, he knew she hated the fact Harry was the only Section Head that ever went out on active operations. All the other Section Head's stayed in Thames House.

"They will be back Ruth" He logged his computer off. "All we have to do now is wait for them" He smiled kindly at his friend. Ruth wanted to believe him but knew things had never been so straight forward for Section D. She was beginning to wonder if it was all worth it, if what they did really made any difference to the safety of the public. She shook her head to dispel the more morbid thoughts and returned to her work. There had to be something, she just hadn't found it yet.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Harry walked back in to the Grid to see the room in the usual state of organised chaos. Tariq was tapping away furiously on his computer, Malcolm had ear phones on, listening in to something. Harry had no idea what he was listening to but wasn't sure he wanted to know. There was no sign of Ruth. Lucas jogged past him and headed towards the kitchenette, only to emerge a few seconds later munching on a chocolate donut. He shook his head as Ros could be seen heading off to the ladies.

He walked through the Grid to his office in silence, aware that Ruth still wasn't anywhere to be seen. He decided she must have gone to the Registry or popped out. Ruth not being on the Grid was something he tried not to worry about, especially after the last few days.

The other officers all seemed to find something to get on with. It wasn't until he opened the door to his office that he saw Ruth sat on the battered old sofa in the corner.

"Ruth?" He was immediately concerned.

"I" She paused as he looked at her. "I'm sorry. I just needed a minute"

He stopped and stared at her as she stood and crossed to him. He had no idea what she was apologising for. His look suggested she would have to explain what she was apologising for. She sometimes forgot that other people didn't see things the way she did. The tears in her eyes suggested whatever had happened had been enough to upset her.

"What is it Ruth? What has happened?" She sighed as he spoke. Ruth rested a hand on his arm as he continued to stare. "Whatever it is Ruth please tell me" He could feel his heart racing as he began to panic.

"I should have worked it out earlier. Nicholas Blake wasn't at the meet because he was out of the country. He must have had a get out plan. When I was with Davidson, when he stopped him he mentioned something about not having to deal with this nonsense for much longer. I was just too scared to think straight." She stared at his tie. "I should have been thinking more clearly" Harry couldn't see how she could have been expected to take in all the information around her, not when she had been electrocuted by tazer, beaten and threatened in the way she had. He sighed as she continued to stare at his tie.

"It is not your fault" He took tilted her chin, forcing her to look at him. "It is not your fault" She shook her head.

"I'm slipping. If I had been paying attention I would have remembered what he said before. You and Ros wouldn't have walked in to a rigged house. We'd have caught him. You wouldn't have been blown up. Ros shouldn't have to be in that situation now, not after everything" She closed her eyes as a tear escaped. Harry sighed before pulling her in to his arms. "You could have been killed. It would have been my fault" She mumbled in to his shirt as he held her to him, he didn't care if the rest of the Grid saw.

"It is not your fault. It isn't Ruth" He kissed her hair "Adam is alive because of your quick thinking and skills as a pick pocket. Wes still has a dad because of you" She tightened her hold on him, as if to make sure he really had come back to her this time.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Zoe watched from her workspace as Zaf dropped a packet of crisps on her desk.

"Cheese and Onion, like you asked for." He smiled cheekily as she smiled back. "They were nearly barbequed but hey, you can't have everything" He dropped in the chair next to her as she shook her head.

"They have granted a restraining order against Will. He isn't allowed to come near me or Emma. He can't come within the same post code as us" She watched as he nodded. "He can't touch us anymore" Zaf noticed how relaxed she was, it was as if a weight had been taken from her shoulders. He made a mental note to keep an eye out just in case. Just because a Judge had granted a Restraining Order against her ex husband didn't mean they were automatically safe. He didn't trust Will at all and hoped Zoe wasn't innocent enough to believe Will would live to the letter of the law.

"That's great Zo" He smiled, hoping she couldn't see how worried he still was. She smiled as he leant across and stole a crisp.

"Oi" She laughed as she tapped his hand away.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

The rain had finally stopped when Lucas parked the car outside of the nursing home. He really didn't like the idea of Ros confronting her family on her own. From what he had seen of the Myers family he didn't like them. Amy was asleep in her car seat in the back as Ros glanced at him sideways.

"I won't be long" She opened the car door and was in the doorway of the nursing home before Lucas could answer. Amy stirred slightly in the back of the car.

"What do you think?" He addressed the baby who wasn't impressed at being woken up.

"Can't let Mum do this on her own can we? Not now, after everything that has happened" Amy narrowed her eyes in a good imitation of Ros as he smiled. Sometimes she was so much like her mother it was uncanny. He got her out of the car seat and followed Ros in to the nursing home with Amy in his arms.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Ros was shown in to a quiet sitting room as a young care assistant offered her a cup of tea. Ros declined quietly as she took a seat next to her mother. She hadn't set eyes on the woman since the day her father had been sent to prison. Her mother's parting words had ripped her heart out. For a split second she wasn't sure why she was there.

"Mum?" She touched the elderly lady's forearm.

"Hello"

"You remember me?" Ros suddenly felt a little hope for the first time since she had got in to the car at Thames House. The older woman stared at her. It was the same gaze that Zaf had nicknamed the death glare.

"I know you. I've seen you before. What's your name?"

"Ros" She bit her top lip. The 6 o clock news began to blare from the television. Ros ignored it.

"Oh yes. Rosalind. I have a daughter called Rosalind. I have another girl too, Sally. Good girls. Them and my son, Philip. All good children. They listen to their father" She turned back to the television as Ros felt her heart break a little. She glanced down at her mother's hands, riddled with arthritis.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Sally appeared in the doorway.

"Sally" Ros got to her feet and faced her sister, before following her in to the grounds of the nursing home.

"She doesn't need any more confusion. I told your husband all I know, now leave us alone. You haven't needed us for years, we don't need you now" Sally spat as Ros held her gaze.

"I didn't come to confuse her. I came to tell you both Dad is dead." Ros cursed herself she was never one to sugar the pill, even now she couldn't help but be blunt. Sally glared for a moment.

"Liar"

"The early hours of this morning, he tried to kill me and my friend. He is responsible for trying to stage a coup again. Only this time without Collingwood" She tried to control her breathing. "You were right; Lucas told me what you said. He wanted me dead. It's just by luck I am still here" Ros watched as Sally narrowed her eyes.

"Lucky you"

"Davidson is dead too." She watched Sally for any signs that she understood the implications of what she was saying. "He can't hurt us anymore"

"No. You said what you came to say, now go" Sally watched as Ros remained immobile.

"I said go" Sally stepped closer to her as Lucas entered the room. Amy was curled in to his side. He glanced at his mother in law, seemingly absorbed in whatever the weather girl on the television was talking about, before glancing out of the patio doors at the two sisters talking in the garden.

"Sal"

The crack across Ros' face was unexpected as her face spun round. "We don't need you Ros. If it hadn't been for you Davidson would never have been a problem. It was always you he wanted. Now get out and let me grieve for my father in peace" Ros nodded once before turning and walking towards the main house again. She walked past her mother and the other residents with her head held high.

"Ros?" Lucas could see she was forcing up the walls he had tried to deconstruct since the day they had met.

"I said what I came to say" She reached up and touched Amy's hair, pulling the hood of her jacket back on to her head. Lucas nodded.

"Your family?" He waited.

"I'm looking at all the family I need Lucas" She smiled as he pulled her to him and kissed her forehead. They walked back to the car with a very sleepy Amy in Lucas' arms. One arm rested across Ros' shoulders. Uncharacteristically she didn't push his arm away. "She's such a Daddy's girl" Ros smiled at the baby. It was always Lucas that could settle her.

"Mmm, maybe. You never know, perhaps this one will be a Mummy's boy" He laughed as Ros subconsciously touched her abdomen.

"Good God. I hope not" Ros wrinkled her nose as Lucas laughed.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Catherine turned the oven off as she checked the time. Harry and Ruth were late again. She sighed as she sat back down. The text off Ruth had promised they would be home within the next hour, she hoped the meal wouldn't ruin in the meantime. She also hoped her father and step mother realised what the date was and why it was so significant. Sighing she turned to see Fidget staring at her.

"They are useless aren't they Fidge?" The grey and white cat walked past her with his nose in the air. "Okay, loosing the plot now Cath, talking to the cat and expecting an answer. Hormones" She laughed to herself before touching her now fairly large tummy. She pulled out her mobile and called her brother.

"Just pick me up in an hour Gray. Yes I'm fine, the baby is fine. The cats and dog are fine; just want to give Dad and Ruth some time alone." She placed the mobile back on the table before writing her note. Please don't forget that this is something to celebrate she muttered as she stood up and went to wait for her brother.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Ruth yawned as Harry forced the key in the lock. Scarlet ran to them as if she hadn't seen either for about ten years. Harry knelt down to fuss the small terrier as Ruth walked in to the kitchen. She could definitely smell cooking.

"If Catherine has cooked, I'll die of shock" Harry laughed as Ruth shot him a look that stated she didn't find the remark amusing. He realised she had picked up a card before walking over to her. "What is it?"

"From Catherine" Ruth smiled as tears sprung to her eyes again. "Happy tears, don't worry" She handed him the card and smiled. Harry raised his eyebrows as he read the card.

'_I have fed the cats, Scarlet has been fed and walked. Gone to spend the night with my idiot brother. Dinner is in the oven, do not let it spoil. Hope you both realise the date. Two years ago Dad finally got the courage to say what he really felt. I was so shocked I wrote it in my diary. Thank you both so much for everything and for still loving me despite how stupid I have been. If I am half as good a mum as you have been to me and Gray, Ruth this baby is going to be fine. I love you both so much._

_Cath x ps please thank Adam for whatever he said, it worked oh I will be back tomorrow'_

Harry smiled as he placed the small card back on the table. Ruth was biting her bottom lip as he looked up at her. "She's going to be alright isn't she?" He smiled as Ruth nodded. He crossed the kitchen to her as she looked away.

"She's such a daddy's girl you know" Ruth smiled as she nodded. "She wouldn't have done this for Jane and Richard"

"Yes" Harry smiled with pride. "She was always a bit of a daddy's girl really. Can't say I can see anything wrong with that" He smiled slightly as Ruth wrapped her arms around his neck.

"No neither can I" She smiled as he kissed her. "Harry, do you really think this is the last we've seen of him?"

"Who?" Harry stared.

"Nicholas Blake?" Ruth sighed. She couldn't relax and enjoy the evening. Harry shook his head.

"Honestly? No I think he'll turn up when he's ready. He'll crawl out of whatever stone he's currently under. We'll just have to be ready when he does" He watched as Ruth nodded. He was terrified Nicholas Blake would return with even more trouble, the thought of the distress and fear the man had caused made him feel sick. He knew he couldn't worry Ruth any more. Sighing he stepped away from Ruth.

"Right, let's see what my daughter has cremated for us, shall we?" He turned to the oven as Ruth just laughed.

**author's note. I really am not sure about this ending. Please let me know what you think. Will write more soon.**


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